Man sets fire to Cristiano Ronaldo statue in Madeira - VIDEO
Police in Portugal are searching for a man who filmed himself setting fire to a Cristiano Ronaldo statue in Madeira, the football star’s home island, before posting the stunt online.
The incident took place outside the CR7 Museum in Funchal, where a bronze statue of the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker stands as a tribute to his career. In the video shared on Instagram, a young man is seen pouring a flammable liquid over the statue before igniting it with a lighter. Flames briefly engulfed the sculpture as the suspect stepped back and danced to loud rap music playing from a speaker he had brought to the scene, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
The individual posted the footage to an Instagram account with around 1,000 followers, identifying himself as a “freestyler and local man.” Alongside the video, he wrote a cryptic message: “This is God’s last warning.”
¡PRENDIÓ FUEGO LA ESTATUA DE CRISTIANO RONALDO! 🚨
— Diario Olé (@DiarioOle) January 21, 2026
Un joven incendió la escultura que se encuentra en Funchal, la ciudad principal de la isla de Madeira. pic.twitter.com/ukiYh0CEk4
Authorities confirmed they have identified the suspect but have not yet located him. It remains unclear whether the statue sustained permanent damage. Initial reports suggest the flames spread quickly but died down before causing major harm.
The same statue had previously been relocated in 2016 after an earlier vandalism incident. News of the latest attack sparked anger among Ronaldo fans online, with many condemning the act as attention-seeking vandalism.
Cristiano Ronaldo, one of football’s most globally recognized athletes, has strong ties to Madeira, where he began his football journey before rising to international stardom.
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