Cristiano Ronaldo Jr has received his first call-up to Portugal’s Under-17 national team, taking another step in his development after representing the country at U15 and U16 level.
The 16-year-old forward, popularly known as Cristianinho, has been named in head coach Filipe Ramos’ 23-man squad for the upcoming UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifying matches.
The selection marks his latest promotion through Portugal’s youth system while he continues to develop at Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr’s academy.
Ronaldo Jr made his international debut for Portugal’s U15 team in May 2025 before moving up to the U16 side. Across the two age groups, he has made 13 appearances and scored five goals.
He found the net twice in four matches for the U15s, then added three goals in nine appearances for the U16 team.
His club form has also attracted attention. According to Portuguese football outlet Zerozero, he has scored three goals in seven appearances for Al Nassr’s youth side this season.
Portugal will begin their qualifying campaign against Andorra on November 11. They will then face Bulgaria on November 14 before completing their group fixtures against Serbia on November 17.
All three matches will be played at the Portuguese Football Federation’s training centre in Oeiras. Portugal must finish among the top two teams in their group to progress to the next stage.
Being the eldest son of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo inevitably brings attention, but his father has previously cautioned against placing expectations on him simply because of their family connection.
Ronaldo has acknowledged his son’s potential, pointing to his pace and dribbling, while stressing that talent alone does not guarantee success.
“We’ll see if he’ll be a great player. He’s not yet,” Ronaldo previously said.
