Ridiculed Ronaldo bust replaced with new model at Madeira airport

Ridiculed Ronaldo bust replaced with new model at Madeira airport
Copyright  REUTERS/Rafael Marchante
By Alice Cuddy

An online petition is calling for the old bust to be returned.

A widely ridiculed bronze bust of Cristiano Ronaldo at Madeira Airport has been replaced with a new version bearing more of a resemblance to the Portuguese football star.

The previous statue was mocked on social media after it was unveiled at the airport last year, with many questioning its resemblance to the footballer.

The new version boasts a better likeness to the star, who was born and raised on the archipelago.

The switch came at the request of Ronaldo's family and took place discreetly between Thursday night and Friday morning, ahead of Portugal’s match against Spain in which Ronaldo scored a hat-trick, according to Madeira Island News.

But while the new model may look more like Ronaldo, not everyone is happy with the switch.

A petition has been launched online calling for the “immediate return” of the former bust, which it describes as "an attraction for our island".

The petition has so far been signed by more than 600 people.

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