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Biazrre bust of Ronaldo provokes online ridicule

March 29, 2017

A new statue of Cristiano Ronaldo has been unveiled - and the internet can't stop trolling it. The bizarre bust made its debut during a ceremony at an airport renamed after the soccer star.

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Fußball Premier League | Christina Ronaldo
Image: Mark Pain/empics/picture alliance

Hundreds of fans on Wednesday were in attendance to see Ronaldo at an airport ceremony in Madeira, but it was a bronze bust of the soccer star that has been stealing the spotlight on social media.

The four-times world player of the year was there to commemorate the newly named "Aeroporto Cristiano Ronaldo" in Madeira's capital of Funchal. Ronaldo grew up on the island, which is about 950 km (590 miles) southwest of Lisbon.

As part of the ceremony, the soccer star posed for photographers in front of a newly unveiled bust created by Madeira native Emanuel Santos - and soon social media was flooded with images of the bizarre representation, whose creepy grin and squashed-together eyes quickly made it the butt of many online jokes.

Ronaldo himself appeared to have a good attitude about the statue. In an interview with local TV channel RTP, Santos said he hasn't "had the chance to personally talk to [Ronaldo], but I'll try to reach out to him to know his feedback," according to the Associated Press.

blc/jm (AP, Reuters)