Cristiano Ronaldo could play alongside his son at Al Nassr next season as reports indicate a promotion to the first team after his 16th birthday/Photo:
Cristiano Ronaldo could be on his way to sharing the pitch with his son at professional level, as Al Nassr considers a gradual path into the first team for Cristiano Ronaldo Junior next season. The development, which is still at an early stage, focuses on plans to integrate Ronaldo Junior into first-team coaching once he turns 16 in June 2026, opening up the possibility of a rare father-son partnership in top-level football.
What is planned in victory
The proposal is not an immediate upgrade but an orderly progression. According to reports cited by journalist Fabrizio Romano and the Saudi Al-Weam TV channel, Al-Nasr “is considering including Cristiano Ronaldo Jr. in the first team in training starting next season. He will turn 16 in June and Al-Nasr is closely monitoring his development + the best options for his path.”
The idea is to first involve him in training sessions with the first team during the 2026/27 season, before assessing whether he is ready to be officially included in matchday squads. Nowadays, Ronaldo Junior is part of the club’s youth system and is viewed internally as a player who should be developed step by step rather than rushed.
Eligibility and timing
The timeline is key to this possibility, especially since clubs will need to carefully align development, eligibility rules and career progression. Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., born on June 17, 2010, will turn 16 this summer, the standard minimum age to sign a professional contract and play football.
This is directly in line with his father’s current contract with Al Nassr, which runs until June 2027, creating a window where both can legally play together for the same team during next season.
Cristiano Ronaldo and his son Cristiano dos Santos/X Victory Zone
With Ronaldo Sr still performing at 41 and already scoring 969 goals in his career, the overlap has added weight to the idea of a joint appearance.
Ronaldo Junior’s current level and development
Within the academy, Ronaldo Junior has built his case through performance rather than profile, showing a steady development away from his father’s spotlight.
In April 2026, he scored a hat-trick for Al-Nasr U-16 team in a 4-3 win over Al-Fayhaa, confirming his attacking capabilities.
He has also developed significantly physically, as he now stands at around 1.87 meters (6’1″) tall, giving him a presence that rivals larger players. At international level, he recently won the Algarve International Championship with the Portugal U16 national team, marking his third youth title and surpassing his father’s tally at the same age. The coaching staff and club hierarchy are tracking this progress closely as they assess how quickly he can move into senior football.
Context: The rare father-son pairing in professional sports
Father and son playing together at the professional level is still not common, especially in football.There are examples, including Rivaldo appearing alongside his son Rivaldinho at the Mogi Mirim Stadium in Brazil, with both scoring in the same match in 2015 during Rivaldo’s comeback late in his career, and Eidur Gudjohnsen sharing the pitch with his father Arnor Gudjohnsen for Iceland in 1996, when the 17-year-old made his debut as a substitute for his 34-year-old father in a 3-0 win over Estonia. More recently, the idea received global attention in basketball when LeBron James and son Bronny became the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers in October 2024. A potential pairing in Al Nasr would put football in a similar position, but with the added factor of Ronaldo’s longevity at the highest level.
What will this mean for Ronaldo’s career
For Cristiano Ronaldo, the scenario carries sporting and symbolic weight, with the 41-year-old still central to Al Nasr’s plans while he is also expected to represent Portugal at the 2026 World Cup, potentially making his final appearance on football’s biggest stage after a career spanning more than two decades.
Still active in his 40s and approaching 1,000 goals, the idea of sharing a competitive match with his son would represent a rare moment in professional sport, linking the final stretch of his career with the beginning of another. For now, the plan is still under consideration, with the club focusing on development and timing. The possibility exists, but the next steps depend on Ronaldo Junior’s development and how Al-Nassr chooses to introduce him into the adult environment.
