Cristiano Ronaldo takes one last look at the Calderón as Zidane's legacy begins

Nov 21, 2016

The Real Madrid forward scored a hat-trick in the last derby against Atlético at the Vicente Calderón, with the numbers starting to add up for his manager

Cristiano Ronaldo put his hands on his hips and took a long, lingering look up at the Vicente Calderón. He stood there for a while, alone, striking a challenging pose, chest out and steady in front of the south stand. Beyond the netting, a barrier for flying objects, thousands of Atlético Madrid fans raised their middle fingers and their voices. Others just looked stunned. In the middle somewhere, one of them puffed on a cigarette. So this is how it ends. An hour and a half earlier, a huge banner had engulfed them all: a father and son heading into a stadium whose days are numbered –183 to go – with the slogan “our legacy will be eternal.” They were right; it will. So will his.

The last Madrid derby before Atlético move to La Peineta, near the airport out the other side of the city, opened with fireworks lighting up the side street between Alexander Dumas Road and Melancholics’ Way; with president Enrique Cerezo handing over a silver Calderón to Florentino Pérez; with that banner; and with the club anthem, music down so fans could belt out a first line soon to be taken from them and more meaningful for it: “I’m going to the Manzanares, to the Vicente Calderón stadium.” It closed with Chendo, the former full-back now Madrid’s delegate, carrying the ball to the bus. Another for the collection. With Ronaldo standing before them having just scored the 44th hat-trick of his career and maybe the least expected, to complete a 3-0 victory.

Tags: Barcelona Cristiano Ronaldo European club football Football La Liga Real Madrid Sport