Big news for Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal quickly names a new No.7 after his surprise exit
Portugal acted quickly by giving Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous No.7 shirt to another player after he left the national team. Ronaldo decided to go home following a disagreement with coach Jorge Jesus. The issue started when Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, was benched and angrily walked off during the match against Norway.
Ronaldo also missed a training session before Portugal’s Nations League game against Denmark. Although an emergency meeting with Jesus and the Portugal Football Federation president Pedro Proenca seemed to ease tensions, the situation didn’t fully improve.
In a strong press conference, Jesus said no player is bigger than the team. Shortly after, Ronaldo left the squad, leaving his future with Portugal uncertain. Portugal will face Denmark in Copenhagen without their captain and top scorer.
Even so, Ronaldo’s beloved No.7 shirt will still be worn. The UEFA website lists AC Milan star Rafael Leao as the No.7 for the upcoming game. Ronaldo originally inherited the iconic number from Luis Figo in the national team.
Other players like Francisco Trincao, Pedro Neto, and Goncalo Guedes have worn No.7 when Ronaldo wasn’t available, but this is Leao’s first time. Unlike at the club level, national teams can assign numbers freely, so Portugal gave No.7 to Leao with Ronaldo not in the squad.
According to a close friend of Ronaldo, he feels “betrayed” because he believes Jesus broke promises made to him. Journalist Ed Aguirre shared that Jesus had offered to apologize publicly during a press conference but instead insisted that no player is bigger than the team and that Ronaldo wouldn’t get special treatment.
Ronaldo might face a six-month ban for his behavior, following Portugal Football Federation rules. Meanwhile, his sister hinted he may have played his last game for Portugal.
The No.7 shirt is being used by others now, as FIFA doesn’t allow national teams to retire jersey numbers. They require all numbers from 1 to 26 to be available. For example, Liberia briefly retired No.14 for Ballon d’Or winner George Weah.
Similarly, Argentina won’t retire Lionel Messi’s No.10 shirt. Manager Lionel Scaloni said the number won’t be assigned until Messi’s farewell game and that eventually, someone else will carry on the legacy. Midfielder Nico Paz is thought to be a leading candidate to take over the No.10 shirt, according to ESPN journalist Federico Bueno.