Cristiano Ronaldo statue erected in Goa triggers controversy

The large brass statue of Manchester United footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, which was installed at a park in Calangute village on the beach of the Arabian Sea in Goa has triggered a controversy over his Portuguese linkage in a state which was once a colony of Portugal.

In fact, the row erupted on the very day the statue was unveiled yesterday when a group of demonstrators staged a black flag protest with the protesters alleging that erecting a statue of Ronaldo, a Portuguese national, was an "insult" to Goa, especially when the state is celebrating its 60th anniversary of liberation from 451 years of Portuguese rule.

"We condemn the installation of the statue of a Portuguese footballer this year. There are many freedom fighters in Goa who have been insulted. If Lobo wanted to erect footballers' statues, he should have erected local football hero Bruno Coutinho's statue," right-wing activist Guru Shirodkar said.

Local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator and Ports Minister, Michael Lobo said, the plan to install the 410-415 kg brass statue, depicting the living legend in action, had been on for the last two years.

"This is the first statue of Cristiano Ronaldo in India. This is nothing but to inspire our youth. We need infrastructure for our boys and girls to go there and play," he said.

"People who come to the Cristiano Ronaldo park will be inspired to become like him and play for Goa and India... We want to inspire Calangute, Candolim, and the coastal belt villages first, then the rest of India," Lobo said.

Echoing Shirodkar, Ricardo D'Souza, owner of a nightclub in Calangute, said statues of local football greats should have been installed instead. "We must learn to take pride in our own icons like Samir Naik and Bruno Coutinho."

Hitting back at critics of Ronaldo's statue, Lobo said, "There are a few people who are opposing this. Football belongs to everyone. It is not divided by religion or caste but still they are opposing with black flags. Their minds are black. One cannot argue with people who have black minds."