Cristiano Ronaldo and the hard story of his father: what did he die of?

Cristiano Ronaldo enjoys a life full of luxuries and excentricities, but not all of his childhood and early life were the same. All that success is tinged with sadness when he reflects on a troubled family life with an alcoholic father, who missed his meteoric rise.

The story of Cristiano Ronaldo's life around his father is very hard and, until today, it is very difficult for the Manchester United striker to overcome. José Dinis Aveiro was a soldier who fought in Africa and when he returned to Portugal he started with some personal problems.

Cristiano Ronaldo´s words about his father

In an interview with Piers Morgan, Cristiano Ronaldo admitted to not having had the best relationship with his father because of his problem. In Cristiano Ronaldo's own words, he said that he never really got to know his father and was never able to have a normal conversation because of it.

During the Good Morning Britain interview, Ronaldo was shown footage of his father expressing his pride at the former Real Madrid and Juventus superstar's success.

The 36-year-old Portuguese forward broke down in tears as he admitted that he "never saw that video."

Ronaldo told former GMB host Morgan: "I never saw the video. I never saw that video. Unbelievable."

When Morgan asked Ronaldo how it felt to hear his dad talk about his incredible achievements, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner added: "Yes, a lot.

"But I really don't know my father 100 per cent. He was a drunk person. I never spoke with him, like a normal conversation. It was hard."

Ronaldo's mother, Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro, has previously spoken about the hardship of being around Aveiro during his battle with alcoholism.

The 66-year-old admitted: "He was drunk almost every day. I never really knew him well. I would have liked him to have been around more.

"Although he never mistreated his children, I became his victim."

Cristiano Ronaldo was deeply hurt during the interview and regretted not having been able to have another kind of relationship with his father. The father's problems were triggered when he returned to Portugal after the war in Africa. At that time, José Dinis Aveiro went to the bar every day, entirely forgetting about Cristiano Ronaldo and his family.

The biggest shame about Cristiano Ronaldo is that his dad never got to see him as a star. José Dinis Aveiro died in 2005 of liver failure when Ronaldo was just 20 - two years into his career at Old Trafford. 

Cristiano Ronaldo’s father died before the Portuguese started to shine at Manchester United. The striker lamented that Jose Dinis Aveiro never got to see any achievements and awards given to him. Cristiano Ronaldo had a tough childhood but managed to get ahead with a lot of effort and dedication.

One of the hardest news Cristiano Ronaldo had to receive throughout his career was the death of his father. Although they did not have a great relationship given the problem, Cristiano Ronaldo was highly appreciative of José Dinis Aveiro. 

José Dinis Aveiro Soldier´s life

José Dinis Aveiro was forced into military service, and fought an unpopular war to prevent the colony of Angola winning its independence from Portugal.

It was a war that was lost, and one in which he and his fellow soldiers saw atrocities that left a stain mentally.

The living conditions were appalling, while soldiers were left half-starved when supplies arrived rotten.

Worse still, sickness swept through the camp - many men were confined to sick beds suffering with malaria, chills, tremors, and a fever, which left them unable to move for weeks.

The soldiers mostly lived on Angolan beer, Cuca because the water from a local river wasn't safe to drink and was so warm it couldn't quench a thirst.

It all took a toll on Aveiro, who returned home a broken man after he had served his country.

His return to Portugal 

After 13 months in Africa, where he also fought in Mozambique, Aveiro came back to a Portugal he hardly knew. 

Because the military dictatorship the country was under had spent so much money on the war, it suffered a horrendous economic crash. There were no jobs in Madeira, and Aveiro was skint - bought drinks in bars by pals who respected the fact he was an army vet.

A friend and fellow solider Jose Manuel Coelho told ESPN: "We were abandoned. The war veterans didn't have any money and no work.

"Of course when I see Ronaldo, I remember his dad: He had problems and didn't have anything to eat, so he would turn to drinking.

"His friends would buy him drinks. He didn't have any money. He didn't eat properly."

Ronaldo´s kit man was his dad

Aveiro became a gardener, and then supplemented his income by taking on the post of kit man for Andorinha, a team based in the Funchal suburb of Santo Antonio.

He was tasked with tidying up the dressing rooms and had to make sure all the players had their kits washed.

He got the job because Ronaldo played for the side, but his son was taunted by his teammates because his dad held such a poor job.

However, that made Ronaldo more hungry to succeed, to show those that teased him he was indestructible.

Aveiro was also often seen drinking in a small bar at the club as hours passed by.