The 36-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner may have provided fans with a clue as to what is in store for him once he calls time on his second spell at Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo’s mum has been applauded by eagle-eyed fans of his boyhood club after appearing to make sure a gift bought from Sporting Lisbon’s club shop took pride of place under his Christmas tree.

Doting Dolores Aveiro, 67 on New Year’s Day, has made no secret of the fact she would like her son to make an emotional return to the team he left to join Manchester United first time round.

She regularly posts pictures of her watching her favourite Portuguese club with family and friends on social media and confessed on a recent podcast: “I’ve already told him: ‘Son, before I die I want to see you return to Sporting.”

On Monday, Dolores was being congratulated for her choice of presents by Sporting fans.

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The green bag with the initials SCP – short for Sporting CP – was top of the pile of presents Cristiano and his family were pictured with as they wished his 381 million fans ‘Merry Christmas’.

The majority of the Ronaldo clan were all donning matching red pyjamas as they got into the Christmas spirit.

Mum-of-four Dolores was among relatives who shared the same snap on their social media.

One of the perceptive Sporting fans who picked up on the gift wrote on Dolores’ Instagram, assuming it was a football shirt: “You’ve still got to tell us who the top was for.”

Another joked: “What a beautiful present I can see under the Christmas tree!”

Dolores previously admitted on Sporting Lisbon podcast ADN de Leao in September she had asked her footballer son to return to the club where he began his senior club career before signing for Manchester United in 2003 aged just 18.

She has also claimed that if Cristiano doesn’t end up there, her grandson Cristiano Jr will.

Dolores has revealed in the past she thinks her grandson is better aged 11 than her five-time Ballon d’Or winning son was at that age.

Last month she cheekily reposted a photo to her Instagram story of her celebrating Sporting Lisbon’s 3-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League and wrote: “Only you needed” in an apparent message to the Man United striker.

Cristiano Ronaldo alongside his mother Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro while still at Juventus in 2019 ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Dolores has already signalled she expects Cristiano to jet to Madeira to see in the New Year with her after celebrating her 67th birthday following their Christmas get-together at his house in Cheshire.

The Premier League side play Burnley on Thursday, December 30 and Wolves on January 3.

Ronaldo’s form in front goal has been essential in keeping United afloat this term, the Portugal skipper bailing his teammates out under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and during what was just Ralf Rangnick’s second Premier League game in charge away at Norwich.

United travel to Newcastle on Monday evening aiming to remain in the hunt for the top four, with rivals Arsenal and Tottenham both securing important wins this weekend.