Odd-looking bust of Cristiano Ronaldo steals homecoming show

Cristiano Ronaldo stands beside a bust presented during a ceremony to rename Madeira's airport in Funchal in his honour. Picture: Francisco Leong/AFP/Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo has an airport named after him, but it was his odd-looking statue that attracted attention in yesterday's ceremony honouring the Portugal star in his hometown.

The player’s bronze bust, which was unveiled to much fanfare by Portugal’s president and prime minister on the island of Madeira, hardly does the handsome player justice.

It squashes his eyes close together, and the cheeky raised-eyebrow smile more resembles a leer. The face is also unusually chubby, in contrast to Ronaldo’s chiseled looks.

Dozens of guests and hundreds of fans were at the unveiling of the bust in Ronaldo’s native Madeira Islands. It was part of an official ceremony to rename the local airport as Aeroporto Cristiano Ronaldo.

The bust of Cristiano Ronaldo has been criticised for bearing a poor resemblance to the Real Madrid star. Picture: Francisco Leong/AFP/Getty Images

Ronaldo also attended the ceremony, but did not show any signs of being bothered by the odd look of his newly unveiled bust.

The bust’s sculptor, Madeira native Emanuel Santos, said it took him 15 days to create the statue. He said he presented the project to local officials when it was about half done and received the  go-ahead to continue with his work.