Ronaldo's mother says son urged calm after Portugal walk‑out
Cristiano Ronaldo told his mother, Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro, that he would “tell the truth when we are all together” after his dramatic exit from the Portugal squad, a revelation she shared in a candid interview about the incident.
Mother recounts Ronaldo's reassurance
Dolores said her son quickly tried to calm her, repeating “Mum, don’t worry. I will tell the truth when we are all together.” She replied, “Okay, my son, turn this around again,” before urging him to stay calm.
Dolores described the fallout as a shock, noting that a player of his stature was denied a grand farewell and slipped out through a side door rather than the front entrance. She also criticised the Portuguese public for not valuing him as he deserves, insisting he has always been Portugal’s hero.
George's multi‑site journalism career
George is currently a sports journalist working for multiple websites, including GiveMeSport. The by‑line reads IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Maria Lysaker, highlighting his association with REUTERS.
He has also contributed to The Sporting News, SportBible and 90min, building a strong reputation across football and other sports.
Academic and professional qualifications
Before entering the newsroom, George earned a 1st Class Sports Journalism MA from Liverpool John Moores University while simultaneously achieving the coveted NCTJ Gold Standard qualification. The combination of a John Moores University degree and a Gold Standard badge underlines his academic rigour.
For two years George enjoyed covering Liverpool and Everton every day at National World, delivering daily reports and analysis. His work at National World and World gave him commendable experience writing and covering football at the highest level, both in‑person and remotely.
Like many fans, the public reacted strongly to the Ronaldo story, which has been picked up by REUTERS with images credited to IMAGN IMAGES and discussed on platforms such as Goal and TV 7 Dias. What she said resonated, and public figures such as Piers Morgan defended the former Real Madrid star, arguing he was within his rights after a promise was broken.
Dolores reiterated that Ronaldo’s contribution of 146 goals in 234 appearances since his 2003 debut makes him a national hero, and she hopes his story will encourage the federation to treat its legends with respect.