In the world of sports, it’s not enough to be a skilled player; true popularity also comes from humility and kindness. Cristiano Ronaldo, the global football legend, stands out as one of the most beloved and admired athletes, largely due to his charitable activities and his genuine nature. Ronaldo’s story is particularly touching due to his dedication to repaying those who helped him during his early years.
In a 2019 television interview with British journalist Piers Morgan, Ronaldo revealed his humble beginnings as a poor child on the Portuguese island of Madeira. He recounted how he used to rely on free hamburgers given to him by a kind woman named Edna, along with two other compassionate women who worked at a McDonald’s. These acts of kindness had a profound impact on Ronaldo, and he has never forgotten them. He pledged to find these women and thank them properly for their generosity.
During the interview, Ronaldo shared his difficult childhood memories, saying, “My friends and I were starving, and there was a McDonald’s next to the Sporting Lisbon training ground. We would knock on the door and ask if they had any burgers. There was always Edna and two other women who helped us and gave us burgers for free. After that, I never saw them again as the stores closed. I asked many people about them but couldn’t find them. If this interview helps in finding them, I would be very happy. I want to invite them to my home in Turin or Lisbon for dinner because I want to repay their kindness.”
Following the broadcast, journalist Piers Morgan hinted that Edna had been located. Her full name was Edna Karina Emanuel Caldas, and she expressed her happiness upon learning that Ronaldo was searching for her. She remarked on how Ronaldo’s efforts to find her demonstrated his humility, noting that she had developed a friendship with him due to his frequent visits to McDonald’s during his training. She had even met him for coffee on one occasion.
A few weeks later, another of the women was identified as Polo Lika. She recalled how Ronaldo and his friends would regularly visit the McDonald’s outlet. When there were leftover hamburgers, their manager would allow them to give them to Ronaldo and his friends. Polo mentioned that Ronaldo was the shyest among his friends and revealed that she had lost contact with Edna. She found the situation amusing and shared that she had told her son about it, though he found it hard to believe that his mother had given hamburgers to Cristiano Ronaldo. She said that if Ronaldo invited her to dinner, she would definitely go and thank him, and they would have plenty of time to reminisce about those days.
Despite Polo Lika’s account, Piers Morgan expressed doubts about her being one of the three women Ronaldo mentioned. He confirmed that the search for the other two women is still ongoing.
