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Ronaldo’s Iconic No. 7 Shirt Handed To Rafael Leão Less Than 24 Hours After Portugal Exit
Ronaldo’s Iconic No. 7 Shirt Handed To Rafael Leão Less Than 24 Hours After Portugal Exit
Rafael Leão has been handed Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic No. 7 shirt for Portugal’s Nations League clash against Denmark, less than 24 hours after Ronaldo left the national team camp.
UEFA’s matchday squad list confirms Leão will wear No. 7 after previously featuring in the No. 17 shirt.
Rafael Leão has taken over Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic No. 7 shirt for Portugal, less than 24 hours after the veteran forward left the national team camp.
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UEFA’s official squad list for Portugal’s Nations League meeting with Denmark in Copenhagen shows Leão wearing the No. 7 shirt, having previously worn No. 17 for the national team. Fabio Silva has taken Leão’s former number.
Ronaldo, 41, left Portugal’s camp on Wednesday after a reported disagreement surrounding his treatment by new head coach Jorge Jesus. The Portuguese Football Federation confirmed his departure from the camp, while Ronaldo said he would later explain the reasons behind his decision.
The change means Leão will wear the famous shirt for Portugal’s game against Denmark on Thursday. Portugal’s next Nations League fixture is against Norway on October 4.
Ronaldo had worn No. 7 for Portugal for many years and built much of his identity around the number during his international career.
The decision to immediately hand the shirt to Leão has generated plenty of reactions online, with some fans questioning the timing while others joked about the sudden change.
X Reactions
@AUnfiltered_: If I am Leao I will reject the number. This guy want to crash his career. The whole world will hate him for this
@JimohAbdulqudu4: Imagine Portugal organizes a farewell match for CR7 and the coach bench him for 90mins😂😂
@MarisUtd05: Ronaldo is bigger than Portugal all day long
@KelvinGh361602: And finally I will start supporting Portugal and Argentina together..not that I hated Portugal but ronaldo himself
@bbwbg3985: That’s to tell you, they’ve been dealing with his BD, just enduring until he pushes himself out 😹💔
@oloto38baby: Speak truth to your goat, he should know the proper time to step down, don’t he watch Messi?
@HenryJohnUdo: Why are you preaching hatred?
@kai_xen1: Na dis mumu dem give number 7 Portugal has collapse
@EthanBrook27513: The way I take dey wait for them to lose eh
@Kum3ri: Yes I go hate watch, my pikin go hate watch, my pikin pikin go hate watch too
@Bonalion212: I thought he retired after world cup
🚨Ronaldo’s iconic number 7 has been given to Rafael Leao less than 24 hours after his departure. Never in my life did I think a day will come when I will see Ronaldo fans hatewatching Portugal and Messi fans supporting Portugal. Today is going to be legendary 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KVdv2rOVC6
— Adika (@Adikastakes) October 1, 2026