CRISTIANO RONALDO TAKES OVER TIMES SQUARE WITH MADAME TUSSAUDS AND VISIT PORTUGAL REVEALING HIS NEW WAX FIGURE

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably one of the greatest footballers of all time, today revealed his latest wax figure with the world's greatest wax museum, Madame Tussauds New York. Just days ahead of the World Cup, Ronaldo became the first athlete to ever accomplish a "Times Square takeover," a feat matched in exclusivity by being honored with a Madame Tussauds wax figure. The epic moment captured the attention of a cheering crowd as Ronaldo gave a personal message to his fans, amplified by his native country's destination brand Visit Portugal across multiple jumbotrons in the heart of New York City. Prompted by CR7 himself, the audience celebrated his latest achievement by joining the G.O.A.T in striking his world-famous "siuuuuu" pose.

Ronaldo was blown away when meeting his wax figure in person, especially the likeness of his hair and eyes. "This is wax? Are you kidding?" said Cristiano Ronaldo. "The face is unbelievable. Imagine two Ronaldos!"

Ronaldo captains the Portugal national team. His new stateside wax figure star sports his green and red Portugal home kit, his captain's armband and Nike Zoom Mercurial Superfly 9 Elite Firm-Ground football cleats. Ronaldo's figure is cleanly shaven and is posed in his iconic "Siuuu" goal celebration-wide stance, lunging slightly to his right with arms out to the side with his fingers splayed. His chin is positioned down and his eyes are laser focused, looking straight ahead.

"Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the most accomplished football icons of our time, or as New Yorkers say, 'soccer,' and we're so excited to be teaming up with Visit Portugal to do this special Time Square reveal of his wax figure ahead of the 2022 World Cup," said Madame Tussauds New York Head of Marketing Tiago Mogadouro. "We're cheering Ronaldo on as he captains the Portugal national team and is welcomed into the sports experience here in our New York attraction."

Said the President of VisitPortugal, Luís Araújo, "The support for this event reflects the commitment to a growing market and the conviction that Portugal is increasingly close to the US and offers many reasons to be the travel choice for Americans."

VisitPortugal initiated a strong plan to promote the destination in the North American market, associating itself with the launch event of the wax figure of Cristiano Ronaldo at Madame Tussauds New York. Following the wax figure reveal, VisitPortugal showcased on each of the jumbotrons the best the country has to offer - from its people and its natural and historical heritage to a message from Portugal to the world about the importance of "Traveling Better."

As one of the most prolific strikers in history, Ronaldo has won the Champions League five times - four of which with Real Madrid and once with Manchester United, three FIFA World Club Cup titles, five Ballon d'Or awards, and countless other titles and awards. Madame Tussauds provides direct access to A-list celebrities, showcasing their impact on culture and society. Fans will be able to score a record-setting header with Cristiano Ronaldo's wax doppelganger at Madame Tussauds New York in Times Square. Guests are encouraged to visit https://www.madametussauds.com/new-york/ for all the latest red carpet news and information.

ABOUT MADAME TUSSAUDS NEW YORK

Voted as one of New York's most unique attractions, Madame Tussauds invites you to pose "in a moment in time" with our famous fun figures of internationally renowned musicians, A-list stars, sports legends, world leaders and more. New for 2022, step onto the red carpet with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Bad Bunny. Plus, Madame Tussauds New York's Glow Gala is packed with 19 celebrities including new and never-before-seen wax figures of Ariana Grande and P. Diddy. With more than 85,000 square feet of interactive entertainment, including the expanded MARVEL Hall of Heroes, and the new Oval Office Experience, the world-famous attraction is bigger and better than ever! For more information, visit the website at madametussauds.com/new-york/ and on Facebook.

ABOUT MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS

Merlin Entertainments is a global leader in location-based, family entertainment. As Europe's number one and the world's second-largest visitor attraction operator, Merlin operates more than 140 attractions, 23 hotels and 6 holiday villages in 24 countries across 4 continents. Merlin's purpose is to deliver memorable experiences to its millions of guests around the world, through its iconic brands and multiple attraction formats, and the commitment and passion of its employees.

See www.merlinentertainments.biz for more information and follow on Twitter @MerlinEntsNew.

ABOUT TURISMO DE PORTUGAL

Operating under the auspices of the Ministry of the Economy and Maritime Affairs, Turismo de Portugal is Portugal's National Tourism Authority. Responsible for the promotion, enhancement and sustainability of the tourism business, it brings together all of the institutional competencies involved in making tourism more dynamic, from supply to demand.

Enjoying a privileged relationship with other public entities and economic agents in Portugal and abroad, Turismo de Portugal is committed to strengthening tourism as one of the main driving forces for the growth of the Portuguese economy.

Photos and B-Roll: https://bit.ly/RonaldoFigureMadameTussaudsNewYork