New CR7 Life Museum Hong Kong puts spotlight on Portuguese football star

The Star

2 days ago

The Saudi Super Cup is packing its bags (and probably a few gold‑plated suitcases) for Hong Kong later this month (Aug 19-23), bringing along teams such as Al‑Nassr, Al‑Ittihad, Al‑Qadisiyah, and Al‑Ahli Saudi.
But what's really going to get local football fans buzzing faster than a stoppage‑time winner is the chance to see the Saudi Football Federation's global ambassador himself, Cristiano Ronaldo, touch down at Chek Lap Kok.
Think fans camping out at the airport, double‑decker buses wrapped in CR7's face, and social media feeds flooded with Ronaldo sightings – because if there's anything more unstoppable than his trademark celebratory leap, it's the hype that follows him everywhere.
Hong Kong has already had a summer of football frenzy, with Liverpool, AC Milan, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur drawing nearly 100,000 fans to Kai Tak Stadium last month. But the possibility of five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo in town? That's the real game‑changer – the headline act that could turn football fever into full‑blown CR7 mania.
Forget dim sum queues; get ready for crowds in replica shirts – from Manchester United and Real Madrid to Juventus and Al‑Nassr – plus a sea of selfie sticks.
Premier League and Serie A stars got a roaring welcome recently, but none of them have a museum built in their honour in Hong Kong – and nothing gets a city shouting 'Siuuu!' louder than Ronaldo.
The CR7 Life Museum HK is located at K11 Musea, in the heart of the Victoria Dockside arts and cultural district. – Handout
The CR7 Life Museum Hong Kong, which opened last month at the arty K11 Musea mall in Tsim Sha Tsui, has already drawn football fans from near and far – and is now being promoted as a new attraction by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB).
Organisers say the Hong Kong exhibition will run for a year.
During a recent tour hosted by HKTB, Filipe Goncalves – chairman of Svenska Capital, who helped bring Ronaldo's first museum to Asia with the CR7 Family Office – explains that the CR7 Life Museum HK is a refreshed take on the original 2013 museum in Funchal, Ronaldo's hometown in Madeira.
He also stayed tight‑lipped about a possible Ronaldo visit.
'We don't have any announcements yet, but we do plan for Ronaldo to come to Hong Kong to launch the museum at some point,' he says.
Instead, Goncalves was more eager to highlight what visitors can find inside the 1,110sq m museum and exhibition space.
'As a Portuguese, my favourite part of the CR7 Life Museum is seeing his incredible achievements with the national team,' he says.
'But no matter which club you support, the museum lets you revisit Ronaldo's early days and the defining moments of his career – through photos, videos, interactive displays, installations, and the many trophies he's won for club and country.'
Goncalves adds that no club overshadows another – whether it's Manchester United or Real Madrid, Ronaldo's presence still shines through.
Driven by Ronaldo's input, the museum takes Asian fans on a deep dive into his storied career – while doubling as a cultural hotspot, complete with an exclusive merch store to keep the fandom buzzing.
'I think the museum strikes a good balance. We all have our favourite Ronaldo years with his different teams,' says Liam Chan, 30, a Hongkonger Red Devil who was glad to see Ronaldo's Manchester United years featured at the heart of the museum.
A replica of a young Ronaldo's room from his Sporting Lisbon days. – DARYL GOH/The Star
Ronaldo, whose father was a municipal gardener and part‑time kit man and whose mother worked as a cook and cleaner, left Madeira for Lisbon to join Sporting Lisbon's youth system. His early days at the club are captured in the museum through a modest bedroom exhibit.
'The museum is filled with trophies and shirts from some of the world's biggest clubs, but Ronaldo's story had to start somewhere,' says Goncalves.
'We placed his humble bedroom at the entrance so visitors can see where it all began – a young football dreamer who turned his hopes into reality through hard work and perseverance,' he adds.
Tan Wei Qian, 17, a visitor from Singapore, was glad to learn more about Ronaldo's boyhood years, especially his time with hometown clubs Andorinha and Nacional in Madeira, brought to life through digital screens and artefacts on display.
'All the dazzle of his five Champions League wins is great, but it's the glimpse into where it all started that really stands out,' says Tan.
At the CR7 Life Museum Hong Kong, visitors can also snap photos or record videos with life-sized statues of Ronaldo – from his triumphant mid-air leap in a Portugal shirt to one in traditional Saudi garb – and check out digital exhibits, including an AI photo booth that adds a playful touch to the tour.
An exhibit of Ronaldo's iconic overhead kick for Real Madrid that rocked Juventus in the 2018 Champions League quarter-finals. – DARYL GOH/The Star
Just down the waterfront, there's a popular bronze Bruce Lee striking a fighting pose on the Avenue of Stars – but inside the CR7 Life Museum, you'll find gravity‑defying moves too.
The highlight? An exhibit of Ronaldo (then with Real Madrid) frozen mid‑bicycle kick at 2.38m against Juventus in April 2018 that truly steals the show.
That wonder goal, crowned Uefa.com Goal of the Season, racked up nearly 200,000 fan votes out of 347,000.
'In a city where martial arts is such a big deal, it's nice to have a superhuman overhead‑kick exhibit for visitors too,' concludes Goncalves.