The Portuguese national team is planning a particularly touching evening for Cristiano Ronaldo, who announced his permanent retirement from the national team a few days ago, bringing an end to a legendary 23-year career.
On Saturday (Nov. 14), in the match against Denmark in Braga for the 5th round of the Nations League, the Portuguese national team will honor their former captain in a special way. All the players will take the field wearing jerseys with the number 7—the number that has come to symbolize Ronaldo and his presence on the national team more than any other.
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According to reports in the Portuguese newspaper “Diario de Noticias,” which have been confirmed by “O JOGO,” this initiative was decided jointly by the team captains, the coaching staff, and the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proença. This is a symbolic tribute to the player who wore the Portuguese national team jersey 234 times, scored 146 goals, and has become synonymous with the country’s greatest successes.
The match against Denmark is expected to take place in a packed stadium, as it has already been announced as sold out. In fact, it will be Portugal’s first match since Ronaldo’s retirement, a fact that lends even greater emotional significance to the occasion. The Portuguese have already secured their spot in the Nations League quarterfinals and will face Wales in Cardiff on Tuesday, wrapping up their Group A4 campaign.
Another sign of the respect shown to Cristiano is room number 201 at the “City of Football,” the training center of the Portuguese Football Federation. This is the room that Ronaldo had used all these years and which remained empty during the national team’s first training camp without him. This gesture was made in recognition of his contributions and, according to Portuguese media reports, was received very positively by the players and the rest of the team.
At the same time, there is great interest in who will inherit the No. 7 jersey. The players’ jersey numbers for the matches against Denmark and Wales are expected to be submitted to UEFA on Friday evening, at which point it will be revealed who will wear that number for the first time following Ronaldo’s departure.
*photo source: AP
