What to know
- Ronaldo’s mother, Dolores Aveiro, dined at Mercado, a Portuguese restaurant in Toronto, before Portugal’s Round of 32 match with Croatia.
- She shared her match prediction, admitted she felt nervous, and left the outcome up to God.
- Portugal beat Croatia 2-1, with Ronaldo scoring the opening goal.
- Fans online celebrated Dolores, calling her the ‘GOAT’s mother’ and showering her with affection on TikTok and Instagram.
Ronaldo’s mom dined at Toronto’s Mercado restaurant ahead of the Portugal-Croatia match and shared her predictions, praying for a win.
On Thursday, Ronaldo’s mom, Dolores, dined at a family-owned Portuguese restaurant in Toronto, Mercado Restaurant, with mosaics, mirrors, chandeliers and a stunning patio.
Cafe Belem on College Street is owned by the same father-son team.
Mom’s match predictions
In anticipation of the match, the restaurant posted a video of Dolores’ predictions on her son’s match.
@nowtoronto Before the Portugal vs. Croatia match on Thursday, Cristiano Ronaldo's mom, Maria Dolores, visited family-run Portuguese restaurant Mercado in Toronto and shared her hopes for the game. #WorldCup2026 #Toronto ♬ original sound – Now Toronto
“I’m nervous, but I’m confident,” she shared in the video.
“Portugal will win… If that’s God’s will,” she added.
Well, turns out she was right, as Ronaldo scored the first goal, and Portugal won 2-1 against Croatia in the Round of 32.
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“Thanks GOAT’s mother,” fans love Dolores
On TikTok, fans are obsessed with Ronaldo’s mom.
“What a lovely woman, it’s not hard to see where his good heart comes from,” one TikTok user wrote.
“Thanks, GOAT’s mother, for giving us the biggest footballer of all time,” another said.
“Beautiful queen mother to all of us, we love you,” another added.
“Obrigada for bringing CR7 to the world,” another commented.
“I love that restaurant,” another appreciated the restaurant choice.
Dolores’ visit came as Toronto was gripped by World Cup fever. Thousands of Portuguese supporters gathered outside the Delta Hotels Toronto and packed Centennial Park during the team’s public training sessions, while Toronto Stadium hosted a sold-out crowd for Portugal’s Round of 32 clash with Croatia.
The excitement only grew on match day. Ronaldo opened the scoring in Portugal’s 2-1 victory before the team booked its place in the Round of 16, giving fans another memorable moment during what many believe could be the 41-year-old’s final FIFA World Cup.
Mercado became one of several Portuguese businesses in Toronto buzzing with excitement during Portugal’s stay in the city. Restaurants, cafés and neighbourhoods across Little Portugal were packed with supporters before and after the match, as fans celebrated the chance to see one of the country’s greatest sporting icons play on Toronto soil.
While Cristiano Ronaldo drew most of the attention throughout Portugal’s stay in Toronto, his mother’s appearance reminded fans of the family behind one of football’s biggest stars. Her candid comments about feeling nervous before kickoff resonated with supporters, many of whom flooded social media after Portugal’s victory to celebrate both the win and the woman they credit with raising one of the sport’s all-time greats.
With Portugal now moving on to the Round of 16, Dolores’ stop at a local Toronto restaurant has become another memorable moment from the team’s visit—one that connected the city’s Portuguese community with one of football’s most recognizable families.
