Police are searching for a vandal who ignited a Cristiano Ronaldo statue on the footballer’s native island of Madeira and shared a video of the act online. The unkempt individual filmed himself pouring a flammable substance over the bronze likeness of the former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker before lighting it. As the flames engulfed the sculpture, nearly catching his attire on fire, he retreated and proceeded to dance wildly to rap music playing from a speaker he had brought.
The culprit, known as zaino.tcc.filipe on Instagram, where he has 1,000 followers, posted the video taken at the CR7 Museum in Funchal, which honors Ronaldo’s career. Alongside the footage, he wrote an enigmatic message stating, “This is God’s last warning.”
It remains uncertain if the statue, relocated to Madeira in 2016 after being vandalized by Messi fans, sustained any permanent damage from the incident. Despite the initial engulfment of the statue in flames, the fire quickly subsided.
Ronaldo, now playing for Saudi Pro league club Al-Nassr, had previously posed with his family in front of the bronze effigy upon its unveiling in 2014, expressing his delight at the moment. The CR7 Museum spokesperson mentioned that the police were handling the matter without further comment.
Authorities have identified the perpetrator, known for similar prior incidents in the area, but have yet to apprehend him. Fans, including Ronaldo supporters, expressed outrage on social media, condemning the act as unnecessary and disrespectful. Some observers highlighted the need for intervention for the vandal, particularly after his provocative gestures towards the statue.
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