Ronaldo of the Rovers: Why Real Madrid statue to living legend is long overdue

Art imitates life. Or perhaps it doesn’t.

For such a towering figure in the history of the world game, the slightly unflattering image of Cristiano Ronaldo in his home city of Funchal is hardly statuesque, looking more like Hot Shot Hamish than football’s hottest forward.

There has been widespread guffawing over the statue of CR7 unveiled in Madeira. Having decided to rebrand the local airport ‘Aeroporto Cristiano Ronaldo’ after Portugal's most visible sporting son, wannabe art critics commenting on the bust took off long before Ronaldo left on his private jet.

The image has been compared to Niall Quinn, Sloth from The Goonies and the time Lionel Richie came across himself in the video for Hello.

Yet perhaps the cartoonish depiction, is also apt because his career is pure comic book fiction for kids and big kids.

Forget Roy Race, Ron of the Rovers sounds more believable.

Amid the hilarity, there is a more serious point to be addressed: if Ronaldo is deemed worthy of a statue in Madeira, the second to be built in those parts, why haven’t Real Madrid erected a statue to arguably the club’s greatest player?

Roy Keane’s comments when Manchester United sold Ronaldo to Real Madrid for a world record £80m in 2009 are remarkably true in 2017.

Even at the age of 32, a statue would be a fitting testament to the creativity Ronaldo has undertaken for the club. His body of work is already unsurpassed, perhaps rivalled only by Lionel Messi's contribution to Barcelona.

Ronaldo’s goal in Portugal’s 3-2 defeat to Sweden in midweek was his 71st goal in international football, helping him move into the all-time top 10 list. Only Hungary’s Sandor Kocsis on 75 and Ferenc Puskas with 84 are ahead of him in Europe.

In eight years representing Los Blancos, he is the only competitor to Alfredo Di Stefano as his club’s greatest performer. In one of the world’s most opulent theatres, he has won more Oscars for his dramatic work than Jack Nicholson.

The Alfredo di Stefano Stadium, where Real Madrid train and their reserves play, already remembers their iconic five-times European Cup winner and former manager with a statue situated outside the ground.

Ronaldo's honours are sweltering:

He has scored 390 goals in 382 games to become Madrid’s leading scorer, is Madrid's most prolific predator and leading scorer in the history of the Champions League with 95 goals and has drove the club to a 10th and 11th European Cup with the possibility of duodécimo very much alive ahead of their quarter-final with Bayern Munich in a fortnight.

Ronaldo is a living legend. He could be the first player playing for a team to help unveil a statue to himself. He has earned the honour because of his passion, ongoing dedication, fabulous contribution and commitment to his profession.

The cult of the statue allows such figures to walk tall forever, but Ronaldo should be allowed to continue walking tall in and outside the Bernabeu.

Perhaps one clasping the Champions League for a genuine champion of his sport.

At least there is a fair chance Real Madrid’s version of Ronaldo will be a truer reflection of the man than the Madeira sculptor who must have been knocking back the Sagres when he decided his version of Ronaldo was on the money.

Still, a bronze bust means little when Ronaldo's substance has been in brilliant bright white for so long.