Portugal retires the plain No. 7 forever to honour Cristiano Ronaldo's legacy

Portugal have permanently altered the styling of the No. 7 on their national team kits as a tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo, who retired from international football earlier this month after a career spanning six World Cups, one European Championship, and the men’s all-time international scoring record.

The Portuguese Football Federation announced the change on social media on Saturday, posting a video that revealed a horizontal crossed line through the numeral — the way the number is commonly written across continental Europe — to mark every future wearer of the shirt. “Time to debut a new 7. Because there’s one that will be eternal,” the federation wrote, accompanying the post with a goat emoji.

The gesture is a pointed one: whoever inherits the number now carries a visible reminder of the man who made it synonymous with his “CR7” brand across two decades at the top of the game.

Ronaldo, 41, announced his retirement from international duty on 5 November after a falling-out with head coach Jorge Jesus. His final appearance in a Portugal shirt came on 24 September, a 1-0 Nations League home win over Wales. Jesus subsequently left him on the bench for the next fixture and indicated he would not start the one after that, prompting Ronaldo to leave the training camp.

Jesus later said the door remained open and that any return would be Ronaldo’s decision, but the forward chose to draw a line under his international career rather than wait for a recall that might never come on his own terms.

The tribute was unveiled on the same day Portugal hosted Denmark in a Nations League match, with the side already assured of a place in the quarterfinals.