Portugal will debut a redesigned No. 7 jersey featuring a small cross on Saturday to honor Cristiano Ronaldo’s international career, following strict FIFA regulations that prevent the federation from retiring the iconic number.
The Portugal Football Association announced the aesthetic update ahead of their Nations League fixture against Denmark. The match marks the national team’s first outing since Ronaldo ended his storied career earlier this month.
Ronaldo finished as his country’s leading goalscorer and appearance maker with 146 goals in 234 matches. FIFA stipulations mean Portugal cannot retire the No. 7 jersey, leading officials to incorporate a distinct graphic design and a new number 7 style to draw a line after the forward’s era.
“The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has decided that, starting with today’s game against Denmark, corresponding to the 5th round of the Nations League, the number 7 jersey of the National Team, which belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo for so many years, will have a different graphic design, with a different number 7 as well,” the Portugal FA said in a statement.
Honoring a Record-Breaking Legacy
The federation emphasized that the alteration aims to preserve the immense significance tied to the shirt. Officials said that the updated look retains the core identity of the garment while officially archiving the previous version.
“This is yet another way to immortalize the meaning of such a special number and honor the legacy it represents,” the Portugal FA said in a statement. “Because there are stories, memories, achievements, and emotions that will forever be linked to Cristiano Ronaldo.”
“From today onwards, we will have a different number 7 on the jersey, but with the same essence and the same pride, reserving the previous one for the immortalization of a story that will never be forgotten,” the federation added.
Rafael Leão Wears the No. 7 Jersey After Ronaldo Left
During Portugal’s prior fixture against Denmark, Rafael Leão donned the No. 7 shirt subsequent to the sudden departure of Ronaldo from the squad’s headquarters. However, a permanent successor for the prestigious shirt has yet to be announced by team leadership.
The 41-year-old Ronaldo quit on Nov. 5 after falling out with coach Jorge Jesus. His last appearance with Portugal was Sept. 24 in a 1-0 home win over Wales in the Nations League.
Future Outlook for the National Team
After being left among the substitutes for the subsequent game—and with the coach stating he had no intention of starting him in the subsequent fixture—the star player chose to exit the squad’s training headquarters.
Jesus later said Ronaldo would be welcome back and the decision to return was up to him. Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report.
