MLS Star Remembers Ronaldo’s Fragrance from Childhood Meeting

Vancouver, Canada — MLS player Sebastian Berhalter has shared a humorous memory from his childhood when he met soccer legend Cristiano Ronaldo. Berhalter, now a midfielder for the Vancouver Whitecaps, was just 10 years old when he encountered the Portuguese superstar after a match against the LA Galaxy in the United States.

In an interview with MLS Soccer, Berhalter revealed that the most lasting impression Ronaldo left on him was how he smelled. Despite being so young, Berhalter recalled feeling surprised by the forward’s pleasant scent following the game. “The most memorable thing for me was the way he smelled. And I’m like, 10 years old. I’m like, how does he smell so good and I don’t even know like what scent is at 10 years old,” he said.

Berhalter described the quick exchange on the field, saying, “I just said great game. He said, ‘oh, like nice to meet you.’ He gave me a little rub on the head. But yeah, stuff like that is cool, you know.”

At the time, his father, Gregg Berhalter, was playing for LA Galaxy while Ronaldo’s Real Madrid was touring the U.S. Sebastian recounted how he found himself on the pitch, saying, “Yeah, they had a friendly, I think in the Rose Bowl against Madrid. So after the game, I was a ball kid, and just ran on the field and shook his hand. I was like, you know, I might never be able to do this again so it was cool.”

Sebastian Berhalter joked that he tries to smell as good as Ronaldo when interacting with young fans. ESPN analyst Herculez Gomez weighed in earlier this year, suggesting that MLS teams should pursue Ronaldo to boost viewership in the league. He emphasized the significance of having both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the same league, stating, “Do I see someone within Major League Soccer with the ability to do that? Maybe. Should they do that? Absolutely.”

As of now, Cristiano Ronaldo has extended his contract with Al-Nassr, committing to the club until 2027.