The Airport
The Infamous Ronaldo Bust at Madeira Airport
How a wonky bronze grin turned a regional airport rename into a global meme.
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The infamous Ronaldo bust was a bronze sculpture of Cristiano Ronaldo unveiled at Madeira Airport on 29 March 2017, when the airport was renamed in his honour. Made by self-taught Madeiran sculptor Emanuel Santos, its lopsided grin and bulging eyes were so widely mocked — compared to Niall Quinn and parodied on Saturday Night Live — that it was quietly replaced on 15 June 2018 with a far more realistic bust.
What was the infamous Ronaldo bust?
The infamous Ronaldo bust was a bronze head of Cristiano Ronaldo unveiled on 29 March 2017, the day Madeira Airport was renamed Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport. It stood in the terminal as the centrepiece of the rebranding — and immediately became the story, eclipsing the rename itself.
The bust was the work of Emanuel Santos, a self-taught sculptor from Madeira with no formal artistic training. With a lopsided, toothy grin and bulging eyes, it was widely judged a poor likeness of one of the world’s most photographed athletes, and photos of it spread around the world within hours of the unveiling.
Why did the bust become a global joke?
The bust went viral because it simply did not look like Ronaldo, and the internet had a field day finding things it did resemble.
- It was compared to former footballer Niall Quinn.
- It was likened to “The Head” from the children’s TV show Art Attack.
- It was parodied on Saturday Night Live.
What began as a regional ceremony on a small Atlantic island became a worldwide talking point, the kind of news-of-the-weird story carried by outlets far beyond the football and travel press.
When was the bust replaced?
The original bust was quietly removed about 15 months after its unveiling and, on 15 June 2018, replaced with a more conventional, realistic bust attributed to a Spanish sculptor. The swap was low-key — there was no second fanfare — and reportedly done at the behest of Ronaldo’s family or his CR7 Museum in Funchal.
| Original bust | Replacement bust | |
|---|---|---|
| Unveiled / installed | 29 March 2017 | 15 June 2018 |
| Sculptor | Emanuel Santos (Madeira, self-taught) | Attributed to a Spanish sculptor |
| Reception | Mocked worldwide | A conventional, realistic likeness |
Whatever happened to the original?
The much-mocked first bust did not simply vanish into a skip. In a twist that delighted the press, the original Emanuel Santos bust enjoyed an afterlife of its own — its notoriety made it a curiosity, and Santos went on to receive fresh commissions, including for further likenesses of Ronaldo. The episode endures as one of aviation’s most charming footnotes: the airport you can fly into is named after a footballer, and for 15 months it greeted arrivals with a grin nobody could quite place.
For the rename behind the statue, see why Madeira Airport is called Cristiano Ronaldo Airport.
Frequently asked questions
What was the Ronaldo bust at Madeira Airport?
It was a bronze bust of Cristiano Ronaldo unveiled on 29 March 2017 when the airport was renamed in his honour. Created by self-taught Madeiran sculptor Emanuel Santos, its lopsided, toothy grin and bulging eyes were widely judged a poor likeness.
Why did the Ronaldo bust become famous?
The bust went viral because it looked so little like Ronaldo. It was compared to footballer Niall Quinn and to "The Head" from the TV show Art Attack, and was parodied on Saturday Night Live, turning a local airport rename into worldwide news.
Was the Ronaldo bust replaced?
Yes. About 15 months after the unveiling, the original bust was quietly removed and, on 15 June 2018, replaced with a more conventional, realistic bust attributed to a Spanish sculptor.
Who made the original Ronaldo bust?
The original was made by Emanuel Santos, a self-taught sculptor from Madeira with no formal training. He later said he was devastated by the global ridicule his work received.