New York, a city known for its cultural appeal and vibrant life, has unveiled a new statue honoring one of the greatest footballers of all time: Cristiano Ronaldo. The statue, placed in the widely known Times Square, has drawn the attention of many fans worldwide who have been quick to visit the statue, thus solidifying CR7’s presence as a cultural icon.
This statue highlights Ronaldo’s influence, not only in sport, but also culture, making it a unique statue that differs considerably from others.
A Legendary Tribute to a Legendary Individual
Designed in honor of his 40th birthday, the statue captures Ronaldo celebrating a goal, something he has done quite a few times in his career, 925 times to be exact. The statue, which is very different from the highly criticized 2017 statue in Madeira, has received an overwhelmingly positive reception from fans worldwide.
Standing at 12 feet tall (3.6 meters), the statue showcases Cristiano’s greatness with great resemblance, a near perfect portrait of Cristiano Ronaldo’s physique that makes a dynamic and realistic portrayal of the Portuguese striker.
Why New York?
There were some questions on which place would Ronaldo’s next statue be placed, even some of the UK’s list of new betting sites tried to predict where it would be, but it finally has been decided that New York will be the new home of this statue.
But why New York? Simple, where better to engrave the name of the greatest goal scorer of all time than one of the most visited cities in the world? Of course, New York is the best place to put such a statue, not his museum, not Portugal (where he already has many), the city of dreams, a place to immortalize his name for the pursuable future.
A Marketing Power Move
Ronaldo has always been a marketing masterpiece, not only his insane ability as a footballer, but also his incredible marketability as an individual. The statue’s importance goes beyond its artistic value: it’s a strategic move for all parties, Ronaldo being the most favored party of all.
For Ronaldo, engraving his name in the city of New York without ever playing football in the USA is a clear way to show why Cristiano Ronaldo is not just a player, he’s a brand. Now, the city of New York has a new appeal for tourists worldwide. Visiting the statue of their idol, visiting the statue of Cristiano Ronaldo.
As expected, the internet reacted to the unveiling of the new Cristiano Ronaldo statue in New York City. Fans worldwide flooded social media with images, videos, and other tributes praising the statue’s accuracy, completely different to what happened in 2017 after a sculpture of the player was unveiled in Madeira and had to be replaced shortly after.
Unlike the 2017 statue though, the New York statue has been praised by fans, being met with a widespread approval, also being considered the “best Ronaldo tribute to this day”.
Reasons for the Statue
Although the “main reason” of the statue is to celebrate and honor Ronaldo in his 40th birthday, reality may be a bit further from that, as next year, the USA holds the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico. This could be seen as a power move from the USA to see how paying tribute to a footballer may have a positive or negative impact, which may result in further statues to other players in other cities in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.
This could help with the ever-growing development of football (soccer) in the USA, encouraging football fans to visit the country to watch their national league: the MLS.
A Great Statue for an Even Greater Player
Cristiano’s statue is just more than a tribute to the player: it’s a symbol of global influence in culture and a declaration of intentions from cities like New York to welcome football (soccer) with open arms.
This statue does not only reflect Ronaldo’s greatness, it helps to portray the importance of football (soccer) as a global unifying event rather than just being a simple sport.
Whether you admire Ronaldo for his greatness, or dislike him for his cockiness, his greatness is unmatched and unquestionable, a branding genius which has made a name as one of the most influential individuals in history.
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