‘This Is God’s last warning’: Cristiano Ronaldo statue set on fire with ominous message

On Tuesday morning, an Instagram account under the username zaino.tcc.filipe, which has approximately 1,000 followers, posted a disturbing video. 

The footage features a dishevelled man with long, curly hair, wearing a hoodie and jeans, pouring flammable liquid over the famous 11-foot bronze statue of Ronaldo. This landmark is located outside the CR7 Museum in Funchal, the capital of the football icon's home island of Madeira.

The video captures the individual immediately igniting the liquid, causing the entire sculpture to be momentarily engulfed in flames. Fortunately, the fire died down quickly, likely due to the durable nature of the bronze material.

However, the vandalism did not stop there. While the statue was still smoking, the man stepped closer to the camera and performed a bizarre, frantic dance to rap music blaring from a portable speaker he had brought along. After completing the stunt, he uploaded the clip with a spine-chilling caption: "This is God's last warning."

The post rapidly went viral, attracting thousands of comments from across the globe. The vast majority of users fiercely condemned the act as a senseless destruction of public property. 

One fan commented: "Do you think it's good what you've done? This was unnecessary and all for likes." Another wrote: "I usually like your energy, but this is redundant. Using God's name for this is shameful." A third observer added: "He clearly needs professional help; this is pure madness."

Shortly after the backlash, Instagram blocked the video for violating community standards. Nevertheless, local authorities moved swiftly. A source from the PSP police force in Funchal confirmed that the suspect has been identified as a local man known for similar previous incidents.

"The author of this crime is known here. We are currently tracking him down for an imminent arrest," the source stated.

This specific statue, famous for its "prominent" physical features, was unveiled by Ronaldo himself in late 2014 as a symbol of his legacy. It has a history of being a target; in 2016, it was vandalized with "Messi 10" in red paint by rival fans, leading to its relocation to a more secure spot by the museum entrance. Despite the similarities in the targets, police clarified that the current arsonist is not the same person involved in past incidents.

As of now, neither Ronaldo nor the representatives of the CR7 Museum have issued an official statement regarding the fire. 

Ronaldo is currently focused on his career in Saudi Arabia, where he joined Al-Nassr in 2023. At 40 years old, the striker remains in explosive form, leading the Saudi Pro League scoring charts with 15 goals in 15 matches this season, keeping Al Nassr in a tight title race with rivals Al Hilal.