He is regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, and his number seven shirt is prized by millions of young people who aspire to be stars. Those attempting to immortalize Cristiano Ronaldo's image, however, have not been able to equal his incredible achievement.
Some locals have protested a statue of Ronaldo in action that was dedicated this week in Goa, claiming that Indian athletes should be honored before one from the country that ruled Goa until 60 years ago.
According to a local politician, Michael Lobo, the 400kg statue of the Manchester United and Portugal forward was created to honor "the love of football" and "inspire our youngsters to take football to greater heights."
At the inauguration of the statue, however, some people hoisted black flags. "I am really disappointed to learn about the erection of a statue of Ronaldo. One demonstrator told the IANS news agency, "Learn to take pride in our own idols like Samir Naik and Bruno Coutinho."
The Portuguese national team is well-liked in Goa, where many people have ties to the European country due to its colonial past. However, other critics said the statue, which was presented just days after the 60th anniversary of Goa's independence from Portuguese domination, was insensitive and improper.
"When people talk about football, they talk about Cristiano Ronaldo," Lobo subsequently stated. So we put this monument up here so that boys and girls of all ages might be inspired, feel inspired, and grow in their love and passion for the game." He accused the demonstrators of being anti-football.
It's not the first time that a statue of Ronaldo has been met with skepticism. Fans mocked a bronze bust of the player revealed in March 2017 to commemorate the renaming of Madeira's main airport in his honor, saying it bore little resemblance to their idol. Emanuel Santos, a sculptor, stated that his work was simply "a matter of taste." However, after a request from Ronaldo's family, it was replaced with a new bust the following year.
A 10ft bronze statue of the player outside his museum in Funchal, Madeira, raised concerns in 2014 because of its emphasis on his body. The image made Ronaldo "feel really pleased," he said.
Ronaldo, who was born into poverty and grew up with an alcoholic father, went on to become the first footballer to earn $1 billion in his career.
Other notable people' statues have been chastised for failing to represent their likeness. According to several social media commenters, a bronze of Diana, Princess of Wales with three children this year had a "hint of Theresa May" about it.
In March, Cork county council sought the repayment of a €33,000 subsidy after a statue of Hollywood actress Maureen O'Hara was declared "inappropriate" and "unfit for installation."
