Portugal give Cristiano Ronaldo’s number seven a lasting Nations League tribute

Portugal’s players paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo in an unusual way before their Nations League meeting with Denmark, with all 11 starters entering the pitch at Braga wearing the number seven shirt bearing his name.

The players kept on Ronaldo’s shirt until after the Portuguese national anthem had been played, before changing into their usual match shirts when the game began.

The gesture came after Portugal unveiled a permanent alteration to the design of the number seven shirt in recognition of Ronaldo’s legacy. The Guardian reported that the change was intended to ensure the number remains associated with the greatest football icon in the country’s history.

Portugal had revealed the updated design on the social media platform X before the Denmark fixture. The small amendment adds a horizontal line through the number seven, reflecting the style commonly used when writing the figure in Europe.

The change is intended to signify that future Portugal players who wear the number will inherit the legacy created by Ronaldo.

“Time for a new number 7 to appear, because there is a number that will remain immortal for ever,” Portugal wrote on its social media accounts.

The post also featured the goat symbol, referring to the phrase “greatest of all time”, commonly abbreviated in English as GOAT.

Ronaldo wore Portugal’s number seven for 20 years during a 23-year international career. He made 246 appearances for his country and scored 146 goals before announcing his international retirement on 5 November, following a disagreement with manager Jorge Jesus.

His final Portugal appearance came on 24 September, when he played in the 1-0 home win against Wales in the Nations League.

During his international career, Ronaldo became the record goalscorer in men’s international football. He also led Portugal to their first major title, winning UEFA Euro 2016, and helped them claim two Nations League titles, in 2019 and 2025.

According to Record, every member of the Portugal squad walked on to the pitch at Braga in a shirt bearing Ronaldo’s name and number. The starting players then retained the shirts during the anthem ceremony as part of the tribute.

Portugal’s Nations League Path One fixtures on 17 November 2026 also include Wales against Norway, alongside the meeting between Portugal and Denmark.