"Will never forget this moment of respect and compassion" - Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo offers heartfelt thanks to Liverpool fans' tribute to his son

Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has expressed gratitude on social media towards Liverpool fans who paid tribute to the Portuguese's baby son at Anfield on Tuesday, April 19.

A grieving Ronaldo announced on Twitter on April 18 that his baby son had passed away. The Portugal international was then left out of Manchester United's squad to face Liverpool on Tuesday to be with his family during the trying time.

The Red Devils locked horns with Jurgen Klopp's side at Anfield in the Premier League on Tuesday. Ronaldo's absence was felt as the visitors went on to suffer a 4-0 defeat, courtesy of goals from Luis Diaz and Sadio Mane, and a brace from Mohamed Salah.

It would not be wrong to say that the Merseyside-based side completely dominated Ralf Rangnick and Co on the night. However, in a grand gesture of oneness, Reds fans showed their support for Ronaldo and his family.

Everyone in presence at Anfield rose to their feet in the seventh minute of the match to pay tribute to the 37-year-old and his close ones and clapped for 60 seconds. They also sang the 'You'll Never Walk Alone' anthem, putting aside the rivalry between the two clubs.

Liverpool fans' actions were well received by Ronaldo's family. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has now thanked the Liverpool faithful himself for their support and stressed that he will never forget the moment. He wrote on Instagram:

"One world. One sport. One global family. Thanks, Anfield. My family and I will never forget this moment of respect and compassion."

Having missed the trip to Anfield, Ronaldo has now returned to training with Manchester United. The forward will be looking to move on from his son's tragic passing and help Rangnick's side push for a top-four finish in the Premier League.

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What did Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp say about the tribute for Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo?

Jurgen Klopp was delighted with the Reds' performance against Manchester United. However, the German explained that the seventh minute of the game was his favorite moment from the fixture. He said:

“My moment of the game, even when it was a great result, was the seventh minute when our people showed pure class, and the whole stadium together showed pure class in the moment."

“Everybody knew since yesterday, since I heard first time about it. So many things are much more important in life than football, and obviously we really feel for Cristiano Ronaldo and his family. So that was my moment of the game.”

The Reds' show of support for Cristiano Ronaldo and his family at Anfield on Tuesday shows that football goes beyond bitter rivalries.