Ronaldo becomes a father

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is “very happy” after becoming a father for the first time, according to reports.

The announcement was made on Ronaldo's Facebook and Twitter pages, where he also claimed that he would bring up the child without the un-named mother.

"It is with great joy and emotion that I inform I have recently become father to a baby boy," said the statement.

"As agreed with the baby's mother, who prefers to have her identity kept confidential, my son will be under my exclusive guardianship.

"No further information will be provided on this subject and I request everyone to fully respect my right to privacy (and that of the child) at least on issues as personal as these are."

Some reports have suggested that the boy will be raised by Ronaldo's family in Portugal. The baby's mother is said to be American.

The former Manchester United player became a father on June 17, two days after Portugal played the Ivory Coast in the World Cup, a newspaper report in Portugal said.

His youngest sister, Katia Aveiro, speaking from Vilamoura, in the Algarve, confirmed the birth to the Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias.

She said: “He is very happy, of course, who wouldn’t be happy to have children?”

She said the baby boy has dark eyes and hair like his father.

Aveiro told the newspaper that Ronaldo would make an official announcement after he had returned from Madrid, where he is dealing with professional matters.