Hong Kong fans queue for opening of Cristiano Ronaldo exhibition
Visitors at the opening of the 'CR7 LIFE Museum Hong Kong' at a luxury shopping mall posed next to life-sized statues of the former Manchester United and Real Madrid player, including one in mid-air celebration and another in traditional Saudi dress.
'Cristiano Ronaldo is my idol... he's special,' said 14-year-old Alvin Lai, who was first in a queue of more than 100 people.
'He's the most hardworking person out there,' said university student Henry Singh.
'He's 40 years old and still going very strong.'
Ronaldo signed a new two-year contract with Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr last month, calling it a 'new chapter' in an Instagram post.
Al Nassr are due to play in a pre-season tournament in Hong Kong next month.
The five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo will be greeting fans at the museum 'very soon', said Tomas Froes, a representative of the footballer's family office.
The 12,000 square feet (1,110 square metres) exhibition sends a 'strong message for everyone to achieve their dreams', Froes told AFP.
Organisers have said the Hong Kong exhibition will run for a year before heading to mainland China. – AFP
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
4 hours ago
- New Straits Times
#NST180years: The conscience of Malaysian sport
FOR 180 years, the New Straits Times has not only reported on Malaysia's sporting triumphs, but also helped shape its national conversation. As a watchdog, it has held sporting bodies accountable, given athletes a platform and ensured that the true story of Malaysian sport is told. The NST was there to capture the glory of Malaya's Thomas Cup win in the very first tournament in 1949, and it did the same in 2022, when Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik won the country' first badminton world title. It followed Datuk Lee Chong Wei's Olympic heartbreaks, Pandelela Rinong's breakthrough bronze and Cheong Jun Hoong's world title win. It gave prominence to Datuk Nicol David's eight world squash titles and her record 108 months as world No.1. On the football front, NST honoured legends like Datuk Mokhtar Dahari, Datuk Ghani Minhat, Datuk Soh Chin Ann and Datuk Santokh Singh, while covering the national team's qualification for the 1972 and 1980 Olympics. The NST was there for the 2010 Asean Football Federation Cup victory and Amri Yahyah's brace against Manchester United in 2009 — never missing a beat. And it also asked tough questions on athlete treatment, selection controversies and sports governance. Issues of mismanagement were highlighted not out of malice, but to serve the long-term good of Malaysian sport. Backed by respected editors like Norman Siebel and Datuk Lazarus Rokk, and journalists such as the late Jugjet Singh and Dan Guen Chin, the NST has stood firm in reporting the truth, celebrating the best and exposing the rest. As it turns 180 today, NST remains more than a newspaper, it's the conscience of Malaysian sport.
The Star
5 hours ago
- The Star
Thailand delays tourist entry fee till 2026
FILE PHOTO: Passengers are pictured at the departures terminal at Suvarnabhumi International Airport on October 27, 2021. The rourist entry fee, which was approved in principle by the Cabinet in February 2023, is set at 300 baht (US$9.25) for air arrivals and 150 baht for land or sea entries. - AFP BANGKOK: Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports has announced a delay in the implementation of the long-planned travel fee for foreign tourists, locally referred to as the Kha Yeap Pan Din (literally, 'stepping onto Thai soil' fee). Officials have confirmed that the measure will not be enforced in 2025 as initially planned. Chakrapol Tangsutthitham, Assistant Minister of Tourism and Sports, stated that the decision was made following a review by Minister Sorawong Thienthong, who deemed the current timing inappropriate due to ongoing external uncertainties. 'We must wait to assess international tourist demand during the upcoming high season in Q4 this year,' Chakrapol explained, adding that the ministry needs more time to study the details and determine an appropriate fee structure based on the mode of travel—land, sea, rail, or air. As it stands, the tourist entry fee is expected to be introduced in Q2 or Q3 of 2026. The fee, which was approved in principle by the Cabinet in February 2023, is set at 300 baht (US$9.25) for air arrivals and 150 baht for land or sea entries. The revenue generated will be used to enhance tourist sites and fund insurance coverage for foreign visitors. - The Nation/ANN
Malay Mail
5 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Man City and Puma sign £1b record long-term kit deal, surpassing Man U's £900m Adidas contract
LONDON, July 15 —Manchester City have extended their kit partnership with Puma on a long-term deal, the club announced today, with British media reports saying the deal is worth around £1 billion (RM5.7 billion), making it the largest in the Premier League. The new contract runs for at least another 10 years, reports said, worth a record £100 million a year to the club. City previously signed a £65 million per year deal with the German kit manufacturer in 2019. The agreement is expected to set a new benchmark for kit manufacturer deals among English clubs, surpassing Manchester United's £900 million 10-year contract with Adidas, signed in 2023. City have enjoyed an exceptional run since 2020, winning four consecutive Premier League titles and securing the treble in the 2022-23 season. However, they did not win a major trophy last season. City will begin their 2025-26 Premier League campaign on August 16 with a trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers. — Reuters
