Protests against the statue of Cristiano Ronaldo in Goa, India

Residents revolt and demand that the local athletes be honored instead of the Portuguese

France Press agencyA statue of Cristiano Ronaldo has been criticized for being an athlete born in Portugal, the country that controlled Goa until 1961.

portuguese footballer statue Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays for Manchester United, caused an uprising and became a target of protests in the southern state of Goa. India. For residents, local authorities were insensitive to honoring a sports star born in the former colonial power that ruled the country from 1510 to 1961. Several protesters carrying black flags gathered at the scene after the statue was unveiled this week in the town of Calangute, wondering if Indian sports stars would be honored instead of the Portuguese. Micky Fernandez, a former player from Goa, said the choice was “painful” and that it was seen as a “hangover” from the Portuguese referee. “Ronaldo is the best player in the world, but we still have a statue of a player from Goa,” Fernandez said. Most of India gained its independence in 1947, and from the United Kingdom; On the other hand, Goa became an autonomous region administered by India in 1961, after a brief armed conflict with Portugal, and became a full-fledged state in 1987.

*With information from Agence France-Presse