‘This is adorable’: Football fans touched by Ronaldo mother’s heartwarming viral reaction to son’s goal on Man Utd return

Football fans have been touched by a heartwarming moment during Cristiano Ronaldo's 'second debut' for Manchester United. After he scored the opener, his mother's reaction to the goal went viral.

Capitalizing on a spilled ball after Mason Greenwood's shot was parried out, the 36-year-old star made an instant impact after re-joining from Juventus in the summer by making it 1-0 with a tap-in on the stroke of half time.

One supporter in attendance at Old Trafford had the fortune of being seated in front of Ronaldo's mother Dolores Aveiro, and captured her reaction to the strike which has since gone viral and been picked up by many outlets. 

That post had already received over 9,000 likes in under an hour, and many of its kind were filled with comments from users touched by the moment. 

"Oh bless her, this is adorable," said one alongside a string of tearful emojis.

"She knows how much love her son has for this club. It was written in the stars for him to come home," quipped another accompanied by a love heart.

Ronaldo allowing his mother to attend the eventual 4-1 win, where he finished with a brace, represents a major U-turn from the sporting icon. 

To Piers Morgan, he had previously insisted that Dolores is "not allowed now to watch big games".

"I say, 'Listen, I don't have a father anymore. I don't want to lose my mum, too, so you're not going to watch the quarter finals, semi-finals, or finals."

In the past, he also said that she "gets so nervous", which Ronaldo didn't understand.

"I get friends to stay with her and she goes for walks around the house. She fainted two times in the stadium," he added.

Clearly excited to see him in action, however, Dolores has chronicled her trip from Portugal to Old Trafford for her 2.3 million Instagram followers.

First uploading a photo of herself on a private jet, she then revealed intimate snaps in a warm embrace with her grandson Cristiano Jr. both in the gym and what appears to be his family's back garden at their new luxury residence in northwest England.