CR7 Collection Launch Event Madrid - Part 1/2
Imagine living your life dividing opinions wherever you go; an inspiration to footballers around the globe, and having to be a constant professional and role model in the glare of the world's media. This is the life that football megastar Cristiano Ronaldo leads, and this is the life that for three days in Madrid, SoccerBible got to share...
More than just where Cristiano plays his football, Madrid is his home. It's the city where he lives his (much reported) glamorous lifestyle. But aside from the finer things in life a healthy bank balance brings, what do we know about Cristiano the person, and why is he such a proud associate of Nike football and sportswear.
Boarding a plane at London Heathrow on the morning of November 6th, a three man SoccerBible crew armed with four cameras for filming and stills, smartphones and a tablet, set off on a mission to bring a comprehensive report and live coverage on the inspiration behind the new Nike CR7 Collection.
A bespoke range for a sports athlete is the ultimate accolade to a players global status. In terms of status Cristiano is probably at the pinnacle of the game, dividing opinions as a perennial love/hate figure. He's teamed up with Nike to become a powerhouse in the game, much like the original Ronaldo and Ronaldinho. Cristiano Ronaldo is synonymous with the Mercurial range, but his influence reaches beyond the pitch as we are seeing with the CR7 Collection.
SoccerBible has experienced first-hand the emergence of the Cristiano Ronaldo phenomenon, with Cristiano's fans some of the most passionate in the game, and those who aren't his fans also some of the most passionate! But this event and collection launch wasn't about whether you love or hate Cristiano, it was about the man himself and how much he 'Loves to win. Hates to lose.'
Touching down in Madrid, SoccerBible had been accompanied and greeted by their Nike hosts. Despite joining a throng of global media from Russia, Brazil and New York, including the likes of GQ, Esquire and High Snobiety. Nike would ensure everyone had a unique experience and enjoyed the finest both Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo had to offer. 
The whole schedule had purposely been shrouded in mystery to ramp up the hype and excitement. So when arriving at the five star hotel to be greeted by a personalised CR7 welcome and tickets to the Bernabeu, to watch Cristiano debut his new football boots, SoccerBible as you might have seen went Twitter, Facebook and Instagram mad!
An experience like no other, the Bernabeu is a cauldron of football atmosphere, and one of the game's elite stages. The centre piece of the show is undoubtedly Cristiano Ronaldo. The team tactics seem quite simple, win the ball then pass it to Cristiano, the stadium then holds it's breath in anticipation. Joining the onlookers was SoccerBible, but as you'll see from our pictures, our focus was on Cristiano's footwear.
A more understated colourway for the Mercurial range and Cristiano Ronaldo, meant in no way that the boots did not stand-out on pitch. The pink outsole really catches the eye and provides a stylish contrast to the more classical black leather upper. 
If the Bernabeu experience got our pulse's racing, much like it must do in a major way for Cristiano Ronaldo, it was then time to unwind and relax ahead of a busy day and the main launch event.
Nike do launch events well, they do them very well, with no expense spared. Arriving at what we initially thought was the event space, we soon realised was just a precursor, a meet-and-greet area to tease in the days event. Yet the decoration and lifestyle gear would be the stuff of dreams for any Nike fanatic. 
With the day planned to follow in Cristiano's footsteps, we boarded the coach to a recording studio to meet some global musicians. But that wasn't before a tour of Madrid's famous architecture and lunch at one of Madrid's more famous establishments. A former slaughterhouse, the Matadero has become a cultural hub after it's conversion into an arts centre and is somewhere Ronaldo has visited on numerous occasions.
Return tomorrow, when we'll be bringing you part two of the CR7 Collection Launch Event in Madrid. There'll be more surprises from Nike and Cristiano Ronaldo, and we'll be meeting and talking to the man himself along with collection designer Andy Caine... 
