The unveiling of the Ronaldo statue in Goa

Goa is a state located on the West Coast of India, once a former Portuguese colony and was reclaimed by India 60 years ago. To commemorate this special event, the Goa state government decided to erect a statue of a very famous Portuguese, Cristiano Ronaldo.

Statue of Ronaldo in Goa (India)

The statue was erected with the purpose of inspiring young people in sportsmanship. This is understandable because the Portuguese superstar is famous for his strong will and competitive spirit of not giving up.

“This is the first time a statue of Ronaldo has appeared in India. We have no other purpose than to inspire young people. If you want to take football to a new level, this is what young boys and girls will look forward to,” said Mr. Michael Lobo, Goa state leader, on ANI.

However, BBC Sports said the statue is creating increasing controversy among the people. They believe that the government should honor local football players, especially when Goa has contributed many representatives to the Indian national football team.

Meanwhile, Times India reported that on the day the statue was introduced, many people waved black flags to protest. “I was very disappointed when I heard they built a statue of Ronaldo. We need to be proud of our own monuments, like Samir Naik and Bruno Coutinho,” a resident told IANS news agency.

Left-wing activist Guru Shirodkar again focused on political issues: “Sculpting a statue of a Portuguese football player this year is an insult. We oppose this move. Freedom fighters in Goa are being humiliated.”

In 2017, another statue of Ronaldo appeared at Madeira airport (Portugal) but caused controversy over its aesthetics. Later, this work was replaced by another sculpture of better quality.