It's common practice for cities to create statues of athletes that have created history or achieved great accolades. In normal circumstances, these statues are revered and untouched. Nothing happens to it. However, that isn't the case with the statue of Cristiano Ronaldo in Madeira; which was lit on fire in a viral video.
While Cristiano Ronaldo’s soccer glory continues, his legacy recently suffered a major blow when his bronze sculpture in his hometown of Madeira was torched in an unfortunate vandalism incident.
A video posted on Instagram by "Zaino.tcc.filipe" quickly became viral. It showed a young man pouring a flammable liquid onto a bronze sculpture and then setting it on fire in front of the CR7 Museum in Funchal, Madeira.
As the video progresses, the individual dances in front of the camera before making his exit, sharing the video alongside the cryptic message [translated from Portuguese], "This is God’s last warning." Originally, not the location of the statue, it was later moved outside the museum after being vandalised by Lionel Messi fans over a decade ago.
The perpetrator, who filmed the stunt himself, captured the moment flames engulfed the sculpture. As the fire took hold, the individual backed away to perform a frantic dance to blaring rap music. The footage concludes with the vandal making obscene gestures towards the statue, thrusting his groin and sticking his middle finger up at the bronze likeness, which was unveiled by the Al-Nassr striker himself in 2014.
Almost two days after the tragic incident, Portuguese authorities have confirmed making an arrest. The Madeira Regional Command of the Public Security Police released a statement related to the incident (quotes shared by Metro UK).
"Following the events that recently occurred near the statue of Cristiano Ronaldo in Funchal, it was possible to successfully resolve the situation. The police authority thanks the public for their contribution, which was also essential to the outcome of this operation," the statement said.
“The PSP publicly thanks all citizens who, responsibly and promptly, reported the incident and shared relevant information. This collaboration proved crucial for the rapid identification and interception of the individual in question, allowing for effective and proportionate action.”
Ronaldo, 40, currently plays as a forward for the Saudi Arabian club, Al-Nassr, which he joined in 2023 following a successful second spell at his former club, Manchester United. Boasting an impressive match-to-goal ratio, Ronaldo is now targeting the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.
I am well aware that this is an extremely short post than usual; I, nonetheless, found this story to be interesting. As much as I despise Ronaldo, I would never do what the vandal did. It's an absolute disgrace at to what happenned.
I hope the person gets punished severely for this action. Disrespecting a national/local hero isn't right. People who do these kind of acts don't have consciences and are apparently highly psychopathic. They need to be detained as quickly as possible to avoid further criminal acts.