Ronaldo to be honoured by Real Madrid ahead of Sporting Gijon clash

Real Madrid will present Brazilian legend Ronaldo with a replica of the Machinbarrena and Aranguren statue created in 1925 that sits on front of the dressing room prior to their game against Sporting Gijon on Saturday evening.

The Spanish giants made the announcement on their official website on Friday and said that this honour comes in the wake of the 34-year-old announcing his retirement from football on February 14.

Ronaldo joined Madrid from Inter in 2002 and played for the Blancos until January 2007 when he moved to Milan. In that period, he won two Spanish Primera Division titles, the Intercontinental Cup and the Spanish Super Cup.

Recounting Ronaldo’s legacy in the Spanish capital, a statement on Madrid’s official website said: “Ronaldo arrived in Spain just after winning the World Cup in 2002 to join a squad boasting the talents of Zidane, Figo, Roberto Carlos and Raul. The striker led Brazil to triumph in Japan and South Korea with eight goals, two of which proved decisive in the final against Germany.

“He adapted easily to Real Madrid and scored a brace in his debut against Alaves on 6 October 2002. He stepped onto the Bernabeu pitch on the 63-minute mark and needed just one effort to score his first goal. He controlled the ball inside the box and defeated goalkeeper Dutruel with a magnificent lobbed shot. The crowd went wild."

"Ronaldo scored his second strike 14 minutes later. The front pages of every sports newspaper in Spain featured Ronaldo, and they never ceased until he left the team to play in Italy in the winter of the 2006-07 season.”

Ronaldo is the highest scorer in the history of the World Cup with 15 goals and is one of only two players to have won the Fifa Player of the Year award three times.