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Manchester United and Liverpool fans come together for emotional tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo’s son

Fans of both teams have been praised for showing support in what has been described as a "moving" moment.

Emily Sergeant - 20th April 2022

Manchester United and Liverpool fans have been praised for putting rivalries aside and coming together to pay an emotional tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo’s son.

The two North West clubs with a historic and bitter rivalry faced each other in a Premier League clash at Liverpool’s home ground Anfield yesterday evening, but it was confirmed earlier in the day that Manchester United’s star player, Cristiano Ronaldo, would not be a part of the match following the tragic death of his newborn son.

The Portuguese striker and his long-term girlfriend Georgina Rodríguez announced back in October 2021 that they were expecting a second set of twins, but issued a joint statement on social media on Monday evening to reveal with the “deepest sadness” that their newborn baby boy had passed away.

The couple confirmed the birth of their baby girl, and said the arrival of their daughter gave them “the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness”.

They said it was “the greatest pain any parents could feel”.

Read more: Cristiano Ronaldo announces tragic death of newborn baby boy

Following the announcement of the tragic news, a message posted by a Liverpool fan group began circulating online suggesting that supporters attending the match at Anfield were planning a tribute during the game on the seventh minute, as a reference to the shirt number Cristiano has notably worn throughout his career.

Ahead of the match, both teams observed a moment of silence and wore black arm bands in tribute to the heartbreaking loss.

Once the match had kicked-off, and shortly after Liverpool had gone 1-0 up thanks to a strike by Luis Díaz, the whole stadium erupted in applause, with fans of both teams clapping and showing support in what has been described as a “moving” moment.

Liverpool fans not only joined Manchester United fans in the minute’s applause, but some were also heard chanting a rendition of their adopted anthem, You’ll Never Walk Alone, and have since been praised for putting the decades-long rivalry aside to show their support.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was also seen applauding.

After the match, Klopp called the tribute his “moment of the game”, and commended his club’s fans for the touch of “pure class”.

“So many things are much more important in life than football, and obviously we really feel for Cristiano and his family, so that was a great moment of the game,” Klopp said in his press conference.

Since announcing the passing of their newborn son, the footballing world has flooded Cristiano and Georgina with messages of support, with a number of famous names, fans, teammates, and current and former clubs the Portuguese striker has played for during his career, coming forward to share the love.

Read more: Messages of support flood in after Cristiano Ronaldo announces death of newborn son

The couple’s statement announcing the heartbreaking news read in full: “It is with our deepest sadness we have to announce that our baby boy has passed away.

“It is the greatest pain that any parents can feel and only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness. We would like to thank the doctors and nurses for all their expert care and support.

“We are all devastated at this loss and we kindly ask for privacy at this very difficult time.

“Our baby boy, you are our angel. We will always love you.”

Featured Image – Sky Sports