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Portugal airport to be named after Ronaldo near his hometown
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A child touches a statue of Portuguese star soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo in Funchal, the capital of Madeira island, Portugal, Monday. Ronaldo will play in his hometown of Funchal Tuesday when Portugal faces Sweden in a friendly soccer match. (AP/Armando Franca)
Welcome to Cristiano Ronaldo Airport.
That will be the message awaiting passengers in the Madeira Islands from Wednesday, when the local airport will be renamed after the local star by the regional government.
Ronaldo is expected to attend a ceremony at the airport outside his hometown of Funchal on Wednesday, a day after his Portugal side plays Sweden in the city in a friendly.
The name change attracted a lot of attention locally, with many politicians opposing it.
Portugal's squad landed on Monday at the airport displaying the trophy it won at the 2016 European Championship in France.
Funchal also has a Ronaldo statue and a museum about the player, as well a hotel complex named after him.
