Cristiano Ronaldo has a dedicated fanbase in hundreds of millions due to his eminent status in the sport of soccer. However, an individual has recently expressed his dislike towards the Al-Nassr striker in a shocking act of vandalism in Portugal.
Cristiano Ronaldo Statue Burned in Madeira as Police Probe Repeat Vandalism
According to MARCA, an unnamed man set fire to Ronaldo’s famous bronze statue, which is near the CR7 Museum in Funchal, Madeira in Portugal earlier on Tuesday, Jan. 20. The man, who identifies himself on social media as ‘zaino.tcc.filipe’, shared a video of him lighting the statue on fire and wrote “This is God’s final warning” in the caption.
After the video circulated online, Madeira police stated they had identified the suspect but had yet to arrest him. A police source confirmed to MARCA, “The perpetrator has been identified. He is not an unfamiliar face, as he has been involved in similar incidents before.” A search and an investigation into the crime is believed to be ongoing right now.
The vandal’s recent bizarre stunt was the second time Ronaldo’s bronze sculpture has been vandalized. The statue was previously defaced by a group of soccer fans back in 2016. The suspect describes himself as “a human being, a freestyle artist, a local” on Instagram.
During a recent conversation with GOAL, Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez lavished big praise on his captain, explaining his current role ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“We need to accept that everyone in the world knows Cristiano Ronaldo and has an opinion (about him). But, the Cristiano who joined the national team 21 years ago is not the same Cristiano he is now. Now, he’s much more of a positional player, he’s a striker. Cristiano’s a player who, for us, is a finisher. He’s the all-time leading scorer,” Martinez said.
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“So, having a player who now has 25 goals in the last 30 games for the national team is a gift. It’s about the present… we’re not talking about what he did 10 years ago. So, for me, his commitment is very important. With Cristiano’s experience, having the commitment he has… he’s an example. And he’s a player who inspires the locker room,” he concluded.
Ronaldo, 40, is set to lead Portugal in his last international tournament this summer, aiming to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He has participated in five FIFA World Cups and registered eight goals and two assists in 22 matches in the quadrennial tournament so far.
