Cristiano Ronaldo made sure his mother was on the field with him when he returned to Old Trafford. When Maria Dolores Aveiro saw her son score a goal in his debut game, she became incredibly emotional. She has overcome many obstacles in her life, and as she ages, she should be able to enjoy happiness with her accomplished son.

The driving force that fuels Ronaldo’s journey is rooted in the resilience exhibited by his family, particularly his mother, Maria Dolores Spinola Do Santos da Aveiro. Born on December 31, 1954, in Canical, a fishing port in one of the poorest areas of Madeira island, Dolores faced hardships common to those living off the sea. While Ronaldo may have sought insights into his grandmother’s character, Dolores could only share fragmented memories as her mother passed away when Dolores was just five years old. Ronaldo’s grandmother succumbed to a sudden heart attack at the age of 37, leaving behind five children and an irresponsible partner.

Ronaldo’s grandfather, Viveiro, faced challenges in providing for his five children and showed love to only one, leading to the other four, including Dolores, being sent to a local convent. Separated from her family, Dolores endured nightly tears and punishment from the nuns. Although she was reunited with her family at the age of nine, her home life remained far from ideal, marked by abuse from her father and stepmother. Despite being normal, her stepmother wanted to send her to a center for mentally disabled children. Dropping out of school at 13 to support her family, Dolores faced further challenges as her stepmother took all her earnings. Despite these hardships, Dolores found an escape through marriage to Jose Dinis Aveiro, with whom she had three children. When unexpectedly pregnant with Cristiano Ronaldo, she initially considered abortion but chose to give birth to him despite reservations. Ronaldo grew up surrounded by his mother’s love and that of his siblings. Despite facing troubles in school, such as throwing a chair at a teacher and receiving an expulsion notice, Dolores’ love for Ronaldo remains unwavering.

Dolores was criticized by a different teacher for her child’s lack of interest in learning, but it didn’t stop her from encouraging her son Ronaldo to quit school and focus on his football career. Ronaldo was able to concentrate on his competitions because Dolores paid attention to him and took care of everything at home. Mrs. Dolores took care of CR7 while he was playing for Real, feeding him, and even accompanying him to school each day. Since she always has the last word in his relationships, she has also had a big impact on his personal life. But as Ronaldo’s career draws to an end, Dolores’ health has deteriorated as a result of a stroke and breast cancer. 

Dolores had to fill the dual responsibilities of mother and father in their home when Ronaldo was a child. This was because Mr. Jose Dinis Aveiro, Ronaldo’s father, drank alcohol with all of his earnings before passing away from cirrhosis in 2005. Dolores was the only person who handled the family’s savings before Ronaldo’s rise to fame. Following her husband’s death, Dolores fell in love again with Jose Andrade, a man roughly her age. Mr. Andrade was a police officer in Portugal before he retired and spent his senior years as a gardener.