Cristiano Ronaldo’s No. 7 immortalized for Portugal as federation unveils new design for a new era

Portugal has found a new way to honor Cristiano Ronaldo. On Saturday, the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) announced a change in the design of the No. 7 on the national team shirt, a decision that arrives in the first match since the forward’s retirement.

In a statement, the FPF explained that the idea is to preserve what the number means for the country. “This is another way to eternalize the meaning of such a special number and honor the legacy it represents. Because there are stories, memories, achievements, and emotions that will forever be linked to Cristiano Ronaldo,” the federation said.

The new design, according to the statement, will keep the same essence but with a different look. “From today we will thus have a different number 7 on the shirt, with the same essence and the same pride, reserving the previous one for the eternalization of a story that will never be forgotten. Thank you, Cristiano!” the FPF added.

The difference is a small stroke on the numeral, which leaves the original 7 without the stroke reserved for Ronaldo. The change takes effect in the match against Denmark in Braga, in the Nations League, where Carlos Forbs will be the first player to wear the number Cristiano wore for more than 20 years.

A second tribute is planned for Braga

The new design is not the only gesture that Portugal has prepared for Ronaldo. The entire squad is set to walk onto the pitch wearing the No. 7 shirt, an idea that the federation agreed on with coach Jorge Jesus and the team’s captains earlier this week.

The homage will also continue during the match, as play is expected to be stopped in the seventh minute so the stadium can give the forward a standing ovation. Away from the pitch, the federation has also left his room at the national team’s training base empty during this camp.

With both gestures, Portugal gives Ronaldo a farewell that goes beyond the pitch, in a country where his name has been tied to the national team for more than two decades. The No. 7 will keep being worn by others, but the new design makes sure that the original one, the one that carried his story, belongs only to him.