Cristiano Ronaldo’s dramatic departure is already having its first consequences for Portugal. For Thursday night’s Nations League clash against Denmark, Rafael Leão will wear the iconic No. 7 shirt vacated by CR7. It is a highly symbolic change, although it does not yet mean that the forward will permanently inherit Ronaldo’s number.
With Cristiano Ronaldo gone, Portugal had to find a new No. 7. The choice has now been revealed. According to UEFA’s official squad list for the match against Denmark, Rafael Leão will give up his usual No. 17 shirt to wear the No. 7, a number worn by CR7 for more than two decades.
Rafael Leão Inherits Ronaldo’s Iconic No. 7
The change comes just hours after Cristiano Ronaldo’s spectacular departure from the Portugal camp. Unhappy after being left on the bench against Norway, the 41-year-old forward left Copenhagen on Wednesday. He confirmed his decision in a message posted on Instagram and promised to soon explain “the truth” behind his departure.
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The symbolism is particularly strong. For years, the No. 7 shirt has been inseparable from Cristiano Ronaldo with Portugal. At the 2026 World Cup, CR7 still wore the number while Rafael Leão played with No. 17. However, Ronaldo’s absence forced Portugal to redistribute the squad numbers for the game against Denmark. A Bola reports that Nations League regulations require the 23 players named on the match sheet to wear numbers from 1 to 23. The No. 7 therefore had to be assigned to someone, with Leão selected and Fábio Silva taking the No. 17 shirt.
However, this should not be presented as a permanent succession. RTP points out that the number allocation may only apply to this international window. At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that Rafael Leão has officially become Portugal’s new long-term No. 7. Still, amid the crisis surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo, seeing another player wear his iconic number as early as Thursday will inevitably be a particularly symbolic image.
