SPAIN: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Cristiano Ronaldo undergoes a medical test before his official presentation at Real Madrid
Record ID:
184036
SPAIN: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Cristiano Ronaldo undergoes a medical test before his official presentation at Real Madrid
- Title: SPAIN: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Cristiano Ronaldo undergoes a medical test before his official presentation at Real Madrid
- Date: 7th July 2009
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (JULY 6, 2009) (REUTERS) WIDE OF SANTIAGO BERNABEU STADIUM PEOPLE SITTING ON GROUND OUTSIDE STADIUM TO GET A GOOD POSITION FOR CRISTIANO RONALDO'S OFFICIAL PRESENTATION GIRL READING NEWSPAPER WITH RONALDO ON COVER FANS HOLDING A BANNER READING IN SPANISH '10 hours, an eternal queue but how will Barca be saved from this jewel'
- Embargoed: 22nd July 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA93PEQ4YBF0F0S0ME5I93PVQOI
- Story Text: Cristiano Ronaldo touched down in Spain on Monday (July 6) ahead of his official presentation at Real Madrid later on in the day.
Ronaldo's arrival comes with huge expectation after Real paid Manchester United a record transfer fee of 80 million pounds ($131.3 million).
Eighty thousands fans are expected at the official presentation on Monday evening - 30,000 more than the number that attended the presentation of Brazil playmaker Kaka last week.
Fans started arriving at the Bernabeu at 0630 local time (0430GMT) to secure a place in the stadium when doors open at 1900 local time (1700gmt). The presentation is scheduled for 2100 local time (1900GMT).
Fans outside the Bernabeu carried banners and cheered Real Madrid's new player.
One group of young fans carried a banner reading, "10 hours, an eternal queue but how will Barca be saved from this jewel," referring to Ronaldo as the 'jewel' that will be key in defeating Barca, Real's main rival.
Former Portuguese star Eusebio also arrived for Ronaldo's presentation and expressed his delight with the signing.
"I am very pleased because Ronaldo left Manchester, that is my preferred team in England, and he is here in Real Madrid, which is also my favourite team in Spain. I was invited and it's an honour to be here at his presentation," he said as he arrived to have lunch at the Bernabeu with Ronaldo's family and Real officials.
Ronaldo arrived in his private plane at the Torrejon de Ardoz base and headed to his medical at La Moraleja Hospital, where fans were also gathered to get a glimpse of the player.
President Florentino Perez has said Ronaldo and Kaka, who Real have signed from AC Milan for around 67 million euros ($93.93 million), are the two pillars of his new project. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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