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I went to a match at Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood club and found a team still completely obsessed with him, 25 years after he left

Barnaby LaneNov 10, 2021, 19:32 IST

C.D. Nacional was one of Ronaldo’s first ever clubs.Insider/Barnaby Lane

I went to a match at Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood club, C.D. Nacional, where he played from 1994-96.
The club was seemingly still obsessed with him, even though he left 24 years ago

I went to a match at Cristiano Ronaldo's childhood club, C.D. Nacional.

The Madeira Stadium in Funchal. Barnaby Lane/Insider

Nacional was Ronaldo's second ever team.

Ronaldo’s Nacional registration card. Insider/Barnaby Lane

The Madeira Stadium was full of homages to the Portuguese icon.

Ronaldo is an icon in Madeira. Insider/Barnaby Lane

The club's academy is even named after him.

Nacional’s training facility is named after Ronaldo. Insider/Barnaby Lane

The facility is impressive.

The club’s academy was impressive. Insider/Barnaby Lane

And features Ronaldo's photos on its entrance.

Nacional is very proud of it association with Ronaldo. Insider/Barnaby Lane

Tourists from all over were watching the action.

The game wasn’t hugely busy, but there were plenty of foreign visitors. Insider/Barnaby Lane

The game was full of drama.

The two sides drew 1-1. Insider/Barnaby Lane

Against the odds, Nacional scored a Ronaldo-esque leveler.

I stayed at Cristiano Ronaldo's Cristiano Ronaldo-themed hotel, and it was the most Cristiano Ronaldo experience you could ever imagine