Cristiano Ronaldo apologizes to the autistic 14-year-old fan he slapped; the kid’s mom reacts

12.04.2022 - 19:51 / us.hola.com

Cristiano Ronaldo slapped the hand of a soccer fan, the athlete issued an apology to the young boy and his mom. The incident occurred after Manchester United lost the match in the Premier League on Saturday, April 9.

In a viral video, the 37-year-old Portuguese soccer star walks alongside his teammates off the pitch at Goodison Park when suddenly he bends down and strikes a phone out of the fan’s hands. In the video, several people can also be seen in shock.Following the incident, the police opened an investigation and released a statement.

“As players were leaving the pitch at 2.30 pm, it was reported that a boy was assaulted by one of the away team as they left the pitch,” the Merseyside Police said. “Inquiries are underway, and officers are currently working with Everton Football Club to review CCTV footage and are carrying out extensive witness inquiries to establish if an offense has taken place.”Later that night, Ronaldo took to social media to address the situation and apologize.

“It’s never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing. Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game,” he wrote, extending an invitation to come back and watch another game.