Cristiano Ronaldo hands back Portugal No. 7 shirt: What we know about successor as Rafael Leao wore it against Denmark
Mint · Aachal Maniyar ·
Rafael Leao wore the shirt in Portugal’s 4-2 Nations League win over Denmark on 1 October.
Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed on Thursday, November 5, that he will hand back Portugal’s No. 7 shirt, bringing his 23-year international career to an end. He made the announcement in a five-minute video on his official social media accounts, including X.
The caption read “Portugal estará sempre em mim” (“Portugal will always be in me”), a line he also delivers at the end of the clip. The number has already been worn by someone else this autumn. Rafael Leao had it on his back against Denmark on 1 October after Ronaldo left the national-team camp. However, Portugal have not named a permanent successor.
Cristiano Ronaldo announced, “To the Portuguese people, the day has come for me to hand back the number 7 shirt of our National Team.” He described the decision as difficult and noted that a journey which began in August 2003 “has come to an end.” He continued, “Today, my journey on the pitch with the National Team comes to an end. I leave with my head held high.” Closing the message, he added: “The number 7 shirt will remain. The pride of having worn it will be mine forever. Portugal will always be a part of me.”