Iran Press/ Asia: A statue of Cristiano Ronaldo has been unveiled in Calangute, Goa. The weight of the statue is around 410 kgs. This is for the first time that the statue of Cristiano Ronaldo has come up in India.
Ronaldo is hugely popular among Goa's youth, and the officials' reason behind erecting the statue was to "inspire" them, the broadcaster reported.
The critics of the authorities' decision opined that local footballers should have been honored, instead of a foreigner, especially since "several past and present members of India's national team are Goan".
"Very disappointed to hear of the statue of Ronaldo being erected. Learn to take pride in our own icons like Samir Naik and Bruno Coutinho," a Goa citizen told the IANS news agency. According to the Times of India, some people also waved black flags during the statue's ground-breaking ceremony to protest against the decision.
It must be noted that Goa was once a Portuguese colony, and it was on December 19, 1961, that it was annexed by India.
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