Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit from the Portugal camp has left vacant one of the most iconic shirts in football but who will wear the famous number seven against Denmark on Thursday night?
Ronaldo’s decision to leave the team following his row with coach Jorge Jesús means the numbers for the game at Parken have had to be moved around.
Ronaldo has always worn the number seven and it has become part of his brand CR7.
Leão to benefit from Ronaldo absence
It may be a one-off – or part of a longer-term approach should Ronaldo’s Portugal career be over – but the shirt has gone to Galatasaray winger Rafael Leão against the Danes.
Leão wore the number 17 jersey for the Nations League games with Wales and Norway but will don the number seven tonight. Fabio Silva will wear number 17.
It will be discombobulating to see another player wear the number seven of Portugal with it belonging to Ronaldo for almost all of his 234 international appearances.
He also wore that number at Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and it’s his at current club Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo flew into Madrid last night after summoning his private jet to collect him from Copenhagen. His exact whereabouts are unknown but he will make his way back to Saudi Arabia before next Friday’s Pro League clash with Al-Diriyah in Riyadh. He faces a busy schedule for Al-Nassr with nine games in 28 days.
Ronaldo has left a trail of destruction behind him in Denmark with even Portuguese prime minister Luís Montenegro speaking to both him and Jesus in an attempt to smooth relations.
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