Cristiano Ronaldo turned 40 on Wednesday, February 5 and received a special birthday gift in New York to celebrate.
In celebration of his 40th birthday, a well-known sculptor Sergio Furnari unveiled a large 12-foot-tall bronze statue of Ronaldo in Times Square.
Meanwhile, a large group of his fans gathered in Times Square on Wednesday to perform his famous “Sui” goal celebration.
Just two days before his birthday, he scored his 922nd and 923rd career goals during a 4-0 victory for his team, Al-Nassr against Al Wasi.
The fans hoped to set a world record for the largest such celebrations.
Furnari is famous for his artistic work with terra cotta and steel and is also recognized for his version of the famous New York photo “Lunchtime atop a Skyscrapper.”
“Cristiano Ronaldo is more than just a football player; he is a symbol of perseverance, excellence, and global unity that inspired me on the creation of this masterpiece,” Furnari said.
A truck-mounted monument was decorated with green, red and gold colours.
Later, Ronaldo took to his Instagram account and expressed his gratitude to those who made his birthday special.
He shared a heartwarming family photos and wrote in a caption, “Thank you all for the amazing birthday messages! Had a great day with family and friends, couldn’t wish for anything better.”
Ronaldo is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in football history.
In honour of Ronaldo's legacy, the Cristiano Ronaldo Life Museum is going to open in July this year in Hong Kong.