Louis Sidoli

This portrait reimagines the classic image of Saint Sebastian through the figure of modern football legend Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, widely known as CR7. In classical paintings by artists such as the Italian Early Renaissance master Andrea Mantegna, Sebastian is shown bound to a column and pierced with arrows, punished for remaining faithful to Christianity under a Roman emperor who persecuted Christians.

Here, Ronaldo takes Sebastian’s place, tied to a goalpost at Old Trafford, with the Alex Ferguson Stand visible in the background. Arrows strike his body, each one fletched with tabloid newspaper clippings bearing words such as “Overpaid”, “Diva”, “Toxic”, “Washed”, “Penaldo”, and “Ego”. These represent the attacks directed at him by the press, media, rival fans, and critics over the years, particularly during his second spell at Manchester United from 2021 to 2022, when scrutiny intensified.

The shadowy figures in the foreground suggest the tabloid archers taking aim. Yet Ronaldo remains upright, gazing ahead, unbreakable. Even into his forties, he continues to score, break records, and assert his place among the greatest. Like Sebastian, who endured and survived the arrows, Ronaldo emerges stronger each time. This portrait speaks not only to supporters of Manchester United or Ronaldo, but to resilience itself: the strength to stand firm in the face of criticism and betrayal, and to keep going regardless.