02 April, 2017
And now even an airport - in Madeira, where he was born - has been renamed in his honor, with a new bust to boot also unveiled Wednesday of the Real Madrid star. Ronaldo will play in his hometown of Funchal Tuesday when Portugal faces Sweden in a friendly soccer match.
Some argued that it is not appropriate to rename the airport after Ronaldo, because this usually only happens to honour an individual after their death.
A bust of Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has caused a storm online - for all the wrong reasons.
Ronaldo, 31, was accompanied to the airport renaming by his girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez and mother Maria, and told his audience he was always ready to praise Portugal in general, and Madeira in particular.
The Bizarro Ronaldo looks as if it were sculpted by a crack team of kindergarten kids hopped up on Pixy Stix and Snickers bars.
Ronaldo's honour has been criticised by the Portuguese public, but the 32-year-old insisted it was not an accolade he was expecting.
Ronaldo already has one (shall we say) imposing statue of himself outside his own museum in Madeira, and the new one is similarly eye-catching.
Ronaldo acknowledged that it was rare for a public figure to be honoured in such a way while still alive, adding that he was aware some people didn't agree with the name change.
Some local politicians opposed the decision, but Miguel Albuquerque, the president of Madeira's government, said it was a worthy tribute given everything the player has done as a representative of the area. Belfast airport was named after former Manchester United player George Best in 2006, a year after he died.