Why you should visit Cristiano Ronaldo’s hometown of Madeira, an island where the iconic footballer is worshipped like a god and even has an airport, museum and square named after him
- The Manchester United footballer was born in Funchal on the Portuguese archipelago of Madeira, and often posts photos of his gorgeous hometown on Instagram
- From the Praça CR7 square to the CR7 Museu and Pestana CR7 hotel, Madeira is a living shrine to the star – he also quarantined there with partner Georgina Rodriguez
Within moments of touching down at the Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport in Funchal, you know you’ve arrived on an island that is infatuated with its biggest ever star.
Here’s why a trip to Madeira should be on the bucket list of every diehard Ronaldo fan …
1. Ronaldo is worshipped like a demigod on his home island – and is everywhere you look
Ronaldo was born in the São Pedro parish of Funchal, Madeira’s capital, and spent his formative years living in the nearby parish of Santo António with his parents, his older brother, and his two older sisters. He grew up poor, having to share a room with all three of his siblings.
His journey to soccer stardom began aged seven when he began playing for local club CF Andorinha, where his father was the kit manager. Next he signed for CD Nacional, his first professional club, before leaving Madeira to join Sporting Lisbon after a successful three-day trial.
The rest, of course, is history.
