Rafael Leão will wear Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic No. 7 shirt for Portugal’s next two Nations League matches following Ronaldo’s departure. The Galatasaray forward normally wears No. 17 for Portugal, but UEFA’s squad list now assigns him Ronaldo’s famous number.
Leão will wear No. 7 against Denmark in Copenhagen before keeping the shirt against Norway during Sunday’s match. Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp on Wednesday after announcing his decision through a statement shared on social media.
His departure followed Portugal’s 2-1 victory over Norway, where Ronaldo remained an unused substitute throughout the match. Portugal’s No. 7 shirt has been strongly associated with Ronaldo since 2007, when he inherited it from Luís Figo.
The change gives Leão an opportunity to wear one of international football’s most recognizable shirt numbers during the current Nations League campaign. However, UEFA regulations require players listed for Nations League matches to receive consecutive numbers between one and twenty-three.
Consequently, Portugal needed another player to assume Ronaldo’s vacant number after the veteran forward left the squad. Leão’s usual No. 17 has consequently been assigned to Fábio Silva for the upcoming international fixtures against Denmark and Norway.
Portugal currently leads Group A4 after winning both of its opening Nations League matches under new manager Jorge Jesus. Meanwhile, Denmark provides Portugal’s next challenge before the team returns home to host Norway at Porto’s Estádio do Dragão.
Leão now becomes the latest Portuguese international to wear No. 7, following Ronaldo’s nearly two-decade association with the shirt. For Portuguese supporters, Rafael Leão wearing No. 7 represents a notable moment as the national team continues without its longtime captain.
Whether Leão keeps the iconic number beyond these two fixtures remains uncertain, as Portugal could reassign squad numbers later.
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