Man sets Cristiano Ronaldo statue on fire while filming himself outside CR7 Museum

The incident occurred early Tuesday morning outside the CR7 Museum in Funchal, Ronaldo’s hometown and a venue dedicated to honoring the footballer’s career. A young man recorded himself pouring a flammable substance over the bronze statue before setting it alight, causing flames to spread across the sculpture.

The flames nearly spread to the hoodie he was wearing before he stepped back from the burning statue. He then performed a frenzied dance to rap music blaring from a speaker he had brought along for the occasion.

The footage was posted on Instagram to an account with the username zaino.tcc.filipe, which has around 1,000 followers, alongside an enigmatic caption reading: ‘This is God’s last warning.’ The motive behind the act is still unclear.

According to Diário de Notícias, the incident could be classified as damage to public property. Madeira police said they have identified the suspect but have not yet to make an arrest. A law enforcement source added: "The perpetrator has been identified. This is not an unfamiliar face as he has been involved in similar incidents before." 

It remained unclear whether the statue, which was relocated from another part of the island in March 2016 after being vandalised by Messi fans, had sustained any permanent damage. There were also no reports of injuries or structural damage to the museum building.

Critics, including Ronaldo supporters, were last night expressing their outrage over the vandal’s controversial Instagram post. One said: “Do you think it’s good what you’ve done! I think what you did was unnecessary and all for likes.”

“Using God's name in this kind of action, I just hope there won't be any retaliation from Him.”

Another comment in this post.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who is now closing in on the milestone of 1,000 career goals, returned to Madeira at the end of 2014 to pose in front of the bronze statue alongside his family during the unveiling ceremony. He said at the time: “This is a very special moment, to have a statue of me.”

The statue, crafted by sculptor Ricardo Velosa, has stood outside the CR7 Museum since 2013 and has become one of the most popular landmarks in Madeira’s capital. The museum contains an extensive collection of trophies and accolades earned by the Portugal’s legendary striker throughout his career, including his five Ballon d’Or titles.