Football: Fans can't keep their hands off Cristiano Ronaldo statue's crotch

Fans can't keep their hands - and other body parts - off Ronaldo's statue. Photo / Instagram

David Beckham can no longer lay sole claim to the nickname "Golden Balls".

The former England international, who was given the moniker by his singer wife Victoria in 2008, has some stiff competition from a larger-than-life statue of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, that has been attracting large groups of tourists due to its generously sized crotch.

The statue was unveiled in Funchal, Portugal in 2014 but has recently triggered a selfie frenzy after members of the public noticed Ronaldo's bulge had turned from bronze to shiny gold from all the, well... hand-balling.

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British tourist John Rodgers told the Sun he noticed the wear in the statue's private parts as well as in the hands when he sent a picture to his family.

"As soon as I put on the family WhatsApp group everyone started laughing. They couldn't help notice the well-rubbed area between his legs.

"While waiting to get back on the cruise ship I then realised a stream of tourists who were keen to touch that area. It seemed to make them all smile, particularly a young blonde lady. She couldn't keep her hands off."

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The statue is proving far more popular than a bronze bust of the Juventus striker, unveiled as part of the renaming of an airport in his native Madeira in March 2017.

Fans slammed the bust on social media, insisting it looks nothing like the footballer.

Madeira Airport is now Cristiano Ronaldo Airport & they decided to celebrate with a statue of Cristiano Ronaldo that looks nothing like him. pic.twitter.com/MnLXKfecxd

— Coral (@Coral) March 29, 2017

Ronaldo, 33, moved from Real Madrid to Italian giant Juventus for a fee of €100 million ($170 million) in July last year.

While his first season with the Serie A club has been prolific on the pitch, Ronaldo has been dogged by rape allegations.

Kathryn Mayorga, 34, claims the footballer assaulted her in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009 - a claim Ronaldo denies.