More than 2,000 people gathered outside a cathedral in Cristiano Ronaldo’s native Madeira expecting to see him marry Georgina Rodríguez. Instead, they found themselves surrounding an unrelated bride trying to reach her own wedding.
The crowd descended on Funchal Cathedral on August 8 after rumors claimed Ronaldo and Rodríguez were planning a secret ceremony there, followed by a celebration at the Savoy Palace hotel.
The actual couple were Fábio Ramos and Fatima Nicole Cunha Teixeira, Madeira natives who live in France. Their relatives and wedding party had to make their way through spectators, journalists and Ronaldo fans waiting outside the church.
Ronaldo later acknowledged the mix-up himself. After Jornal da Madeira shared footage of the scene on Instagram, the soccer star responded with five crying-laughing emojis, according to Just Jared.
The Crowd Found a Wedding, Just Not Ronaldo’s
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Ramos and Teixeira had returned to Madeira for their wedding at Funchal Cathedral, but the ceremony became the center of the Ronaldo speculation before they arrived.
Some people in the crowd wore Ronaldo’s No. 7 jersey, while others held up phones as they waited outside the cathedral. The confusion intensified when a gray Rolls-Royce carrying Teixeira arrived in the square.
Hundreds of people moved toward the vehicle believing Rodríguez might be inside. Members of the wedding party tried to correct the mistake, with one person shouting, “This is not Georgina,” as Teixeira’s bridesmaids worked to clear a path to the cathedral.
NDTV reported that friends and relatives also struggled to reach the venue through the crowd. One guest said the bride had been concerned that the commotion would disrupt her wedding day.
Rumors Put Ronaldo at the Cathedral and Savoy Palace
Speculation had been building that Ronaldo and Rodríguez would marry at Funchal Cathedral before holding a reception at the five-star Savoy Palace. Reports also claimed the cathedral had been reserved under another name, helping fuel speculation among people who gathered outside.
Ronaldo’s sister Kátia Aveiro attracted additional attention after posting footage of herself arriving in Madeira for what she described as a “party.” The August 8 speculation followed an earlier false rumor that Ronaldo and Rodríguez would marry at Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra on August 1. A purported wedding invitation circulated online, but the predicted ceremony did not happen.
The Cathedral Says Ronaldo Had No Wedding Booking
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Father Marcos Gonçalves, the parish priest at Funchal Cathedral, confirmed that Ramos and Teixeira’s ceremony was the only wedding scheduled there that day. “This is the only wedding taking place here today. I do not have a booking for Cristiano Ronaldo,” Gonçalves said.
He also said he was not aware of Ronaldo having reserved the cathedral for an upcoming wedding. The cathedral later addressed the disruption surrounding the real newlyweds.
According to UNILAD, its Facebook page said it had never experienced anything similar and that the crowd of journalists and tourists made it difficult for Teixeira to enter the church. The cathedral ultimately closed its doors and proceeded with the ceremony for Ramos and Teixeira.
Ronaldo Has Said He Wants to Marry Rodríguez After the World Cup
Ronaldo and Rodríguez announced their engagement in August 2025 after years together. Rodríguez revealed the news with an Instagram photograph showing her engagement ring. Ronaldo later discussed their plans during a Piers Morgan interview, saying they wanted to marry after the 2026 World Cup.