A new statue of Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal has been erected in the state of Goa on the west coast of India.
Local officials say the statue in Calangute aims to inspire the city’s youth to become football stars.
But others protested the bust of the Manchester United star, saying it was reminiscent of Goa’s colonial past and urged authorities to consider erecting a statue of the Indian footballer instead.
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What was said?
Reactions to Ronaldo’s statue in the Indian city of Calangute varied, but the angry responses were clear and harsh.
“This is the first time that a statue of Cristiano Ronaldo has appeared in India and it is nothing but an inspiration to our youth,” Goa Provincial Minister Michael Lobo told the Indian News Agency.
“If you want to raise the level of football in the country, young men and women are looking for it, filming, looking at the statue, being inspired by strength.”
But due to the history of Goa being a Portuguese colony until 1961, others were not happy to see the statue of Cristiano Ronaldo.
“There are many great footballers in Calangute like Bruno Coutinho and Yolanda de Sousa who have made India proud by playing football internationally,” said Calangute Circle President Premanand Devkar.
He added, “Why were no statues erected for them? They were from Kalankuttai.
Another statue has sparked controversy
This is not the first time Ronaldo’s statue has caused controversy.
In 2017, a statue of the Portuguese was unveiled at the airport in his hometown of Madeira.
The statue caused widespread controversy due to its strange appearance, and the image of Ronaldo in it was mocked, but it was eventually removed and replaced.
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