Cristiano Ronaldo (40, Al Nassr)'s museum is gaining popularity in Hong Kong. He is expected to visit Hong Kong next month to promote it.
'Travel Weekly Asia' reported on the 12th (Korea time) that "Ronaldo's museum has opened in Hong Kong. The 'CR7 Life Museum' is a 1,115㎡ museum dedicated to the living soccer legend Ronaldo and is expected to attract 12 million visitors."
The CR7 Life Museum, the first Ronaldo museum in Asia, officially opened on the 7th at the K11 Art and Culture Center in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong. The organizers said, "Our goal is to empower young people and dreamers to pursue greatness."
Inside the museum, about 40 exhibits are displayed, including Ronaldo's Ballon d'Or trophy, Golden Boot, and FIFA Club World Cup Golden Ball. Additionally, there are uniforms, soccer shoes, a replica of his childhood bedroom, and various interactive displays capturing Ronaldo's career spanning over 20 years, from Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, and Al Nassr.
Ticket prices have also been revealed. The cheapest ticket starts at 180 Hong Kong dollars (about 31,600 won), while the most expensive 'VIP Platinum' ticket costs 2,500 Hong Kong dollars (about 440,000 won).
The CR7 Life Museum is gaining great popularity. According to 'Free Malaysia Today', Hong Kong fans queued for hours on opening day to enter and take photos with Ronaldo's trophies and uniforms.
The media reported, "One fan took a photo next to the statue of Ronaldo performing his signature celebration, 'SIU,' while another took a commemorative photo next to a statue of Ronaldo dressed in traditional Saudi clothing. 14-year-old Alvin Lai said, 'Ronaldo is my idol... he is special.'"
Ronaldo is also expected to meet fans at his museum. Thomas Prois, the representative of his family office, noted that the exact timing has not yet been determined but that Ronaldo will greet fans at the museum 'soon.'
Coincidentally, Ronaldo will visit Hong Kong next month for the 'Saudi Super Cup' schedule. The Saudi Super Cup, which involves the top four teams from the Saudi Pro League, will be held in Hong Kong for the first time this coming August. Additionally, since Ronaldo recently re-signed with Al Nassr for two years, he is likely to participate in the tournament.
Ronaldo is making significant efforts in the Hong Kong market. Known for alternating between extremes in fan service, he has been heavily focused on developing the Chinese market. The establishment of his museum in Hong Kong, the first in Asia, can also be interpreted in this context. He plans to exhibit the CR7 Life Museum in Hong Kong until June of next year before transferring it to mainland China.
Moreover, Hong Kong has a poor public sentiment towards Lionel Messi, who is Ronaldo's eternal rival. Messi did not participate in a preseason match for Inter Miami early last year, citing a leg injury. However, when he played a few days later in a match held in Japan, the anger of Hong Kong fans was palpable. As a result, the organizers refunded 50% of the ticket prices, amounting to a total of 16 million Hong Kong dollars (about 2.8 billion won).
'BeIn Sports' pointed out that "Ronaldo's new project comes at a crucial time for Hong Kong as it seeks to enhance its image and tourism following the controversy surrounding Messi." It added, "Now, with the opening of the Ronaldo museum, Hong Kong hopes to rebuild its position as a cultural and sports hub in the region."
Ronaldo is exhibiting a completely different approach compared to his time in Korea. He visited Korea in 2019 for Juventus' preseason tour but did not play for even a second, causing a 'no-show' controversy. He also unexpectedly pulled out of a fan signing event and was criticized for ignoring 60,000 spectators from the bench. As a result, Ronaldo, nicknamed 'nalgangdu,' still holds a poor image among many domestic soccer fans.
[Photo] ⓒGettyimages (reprint and redistribution prohibited), CR7 Life Museum social media.
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