Football fever grips Hong Kong as fans queue up for Cristiano Ronaldo's museum

Dubai: Dozens of eager fans lined up for hours ahead of Monday’s grand opening of the CR7 Life Museum, dedicated to football legend Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 12,000 sq ft exhibition, the first of its kind outside of Portugal, offers a deep dive into the superstar’s illustrious career, showcasing his trophies, iconic jerseys, and personal memorabilia. Highlights include his 2008 Ballon d’Or, Golden Boot awards and Fifa Club World Cup Golden Ball.

The museum is housed in a luxury shopping mall, where visitors gathered to pose with life-sized statues of Ronaldo — one capturing his signature mid-air goal celebration, and another depicting him in traditional Saudi attire.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is my idol… he’s special,” said 14-year-old Alvin Lai, who arrived early to be first in a queue of over 100 people. University student Henry Singh added, “He’s the most hardworking person out there. He’s 40 and still going very strong.”

Ronaldo, who recently signed a two-year contract extension with Saudi club Al Nassr, referred to the move as a “new chapter” in a recent Instagram post. The club is scheduled to play in a pre-season tournament in Hong Kong next month.

Tomas Froes, a representative from Ronaldo’s family office, confirmed the five-time Ballon d'Or winner will be visiting the museum “very soon.” He described the exhibit as “a strong message for everyone to achieve their dreams.”

The Hong Kong exhibition is set to run for one year before traveling to mainland China.

Among the crowd was Johan Bihis, a tourist from the Philippines, who flew to Hong Kong specifically for the opening. “I booked a flight as soon as I saw on social media the museum was coming,” she told the South China Morning Post. “I think this is going to get me closer to him, right? So I don’t need to fly all the way to Portugal. And I saw that some of the items in Portugal will be flown here also.”

Another fan, 13-year-old Faith Chan, proudly wearing a Ronaldo jersey, said he admires the player’s dedication. “He has passion for everything he does,” Chan said, adding that he was especially excited to see Ronaldo’s club jerseys and trophies up close.

With inputs from agencies