SOCCER-RONALDO-STATUE Ronaldo honoured in native Madeira

Record ID: 184317

  • Title: SOCCER-RONALDO-STATUE Ronaldo honoured in native Madeira
  • Date: 21st December 2014
  • Summary: FUNCHAL, PORTUGAL (DECEMBER 21, 2014) (REUTERS) **** WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **** CRISTIANO RONALDO ARRIVING FOR STATUE UNVEILING CEREMONY PEOPLE APPLAUDING RONALDO WALKING TOWARDS STATUE WITH PRESIDENT OF MADEIRA GOVERNMENT ALBERTO JOAO JARDIM PEOPLE WATCHING CEREMONY/ FAN SHOUTING "CRISTIANO" RONALDO UNVEILING STATUE RONALDO STATUE/ RONALDO POSING FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS/ PEOPLE WATCHING CEREMONY RONALDO STATUE (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) REAL MADRID AND PORTUGAL PLAYER, CRISTIANO RONALDO, SAYING: "I want to thank you to everybody for being here with me, supporting something that makes me extremely proud. For sure, this tribute will give me more motivation to keep working, and continue trying to win many trophies and titles, and increase the profile of the name of Madeira." RONALDO ADDRESSING TO FANS (SOUNDBITE) (English) RONALDO FAN, ALISON WINTER, SAYING: "We came in the Oceanus so we landed in port today and we heard that he was here so we couldn't miss this oportunity REPORTER ASKING "What you think of Ronaldo? "Lovely, very nice, Man United yeah." CHILD HOLDING RONALDO SHIRT (SOUNDBITE) (English) RONALDO FAN, SUSANA CALDEIRA, SAYING: "We came all way from Canada, we knew he was from here my husband was born here and my parents are from here and it's such a pleasure knowing that we were able to be here, making history." CHILDREN WEARING PORTUGAL NATIONAL TEAM SHIRTS POSING NEXT TO RONALDO STATUE RONALDO ENETRING MADEIRA PARLIAMENT ROOM MEDIA RONALDO BEING DECORATED WITH MADEIRA MEDAL RONALDO/ MEDAL (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) REAL MADRID AND PORTUGAL PLAYER, CRISTIANO RONALDO, SAYING: "It's an enormous pleasure to be decorated with this medal. I'm very happy and have no words to describe what I'm feeling. Speeches are not my strong point, I'm better playing football I must confess, but I'm very happy. Thank you very much Mr President for this important moment for me, an historic moment that I will always have special memories of." GUESTS APPLAUDING MADEIRA LANDSCAPE/ MADEIRA PARLIAMENT
  • Embargoed: 5th January 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Portugal
  • Country: Portugal
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVACQ4QX8I1GXZWV1P7CFYVUVZZE
  • Story Text: Fresh from his triumph at the Club World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo unveiled the first statue built in tribute to him on Sunday (December 21) in Funchal on the island of Madeira.
    An initiative of the newspaper Jornal da Madeira, the statue means fans will have a permanent reminder of the Portugal captain and Real Madrid striker in his prime.
    "I want to thank you to everybody for being here with me, supporting something that makes me extremely proud," he said. "For sure, this tribute will give me more motivation to keep working, and continue trying to win many trophies and titles, and increase the profile of the name of Madeira."
    A mixture of curious locals and tourists followed the ceremony on TV screens around the Praca do Mar square.
    Madeira is known as a holiday destination and apart from Ronaldo, is most famous for its luxuriant biodiversity, strong-flavoured bananas and fortified wine.
    An English fan and Manchester United supporter arrived Sunday on the island and told Reuters she was delighted to see one of her heroes.
    "We came in the Oceanus so we landed in port today and we heard that he was here so we couldn't miss this opportunity," she said.
    Another tourist, Susana Caldeiram born in Madeira but now living in Canada, came with her family just to see him.
    "It's such a pleasure knowing that we were able to be here, making history," she said.
    Earlier in the day Ronaldo was given the highest award for Madeira, the Cordão Autonómico de Distinção at the local parliament. It was in recognition of his victory in the Ballon d'Or last year.
    "It's an enormous pleasure to be decorated with this medal," he said. "I'm very happy and have no words to describe what I'm feeling. Speeches are not my strong point, I'm better playing football I must confess, but I'm very happy. Thank you very much Mr President for this important moment for me, an historic moment that I will always have special memories of."
    Ronaldo arrived in Madeira after winning another trophy with Real Madrid, the Club World Cup. His side triumphed 2-0 in Marrakech against Argentine outfit San Lorenzo on Saturday.
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