Portugal changes No. 7 shirt design in lasting tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo
Abdullateef Fowewe
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) has officially changed the graphic style of the number 7 on the national team’s shirts, effective from the UEFA Nations League match against Denmark on 14 November 2026, as a permanent tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic era.
In a statement on Saturday, the FPF explained, “This is another way to eternalize the meaning of such a special number and honour the legacy it represents for us. Because there are stories, memories, all achievements and emotions, which will forever be linked to Cristiano Ronaldo.
“From today we will thus have a different number 7 on the sweater, with same essence and the same pride, reserving the previous one for the eternalisation of the story that will never be forgotten. Thank you Cristiano!”
The new design keeps the number in use — as FIFA and UEFA regulations prevent national teams from fully retiring squad numbers while visually distinguishing it from the version Ronaldo wore for most of his career.
Young forward Carlos Forbs is set to become the first player to wear the updated No. 7 against Denmark.
Ronaldo announced his international retirement on 5 November 2026 in an emotional video message, stating he was handing back Portugal’s No. 7 shirt after a 23-year career that began in August 2003.
He leaves with a record 234 appearances and 146 goals for his country, having captained Portugal to the 2016 European Championship title and multiple Nations League successes.
His departure followed a period of tension with coach Jorge Jesus, including Ronaldo leaving the national team camp in September 2026.
Portugal has already staged multiple tributes, including leaving his usual room at the Cidade do Futebol training centre empty, displaying a No. 7 shirt with the message “Obrigado, Capitão,” and planning special gestures for the Denmark match in Braga — such as the entire squad entering the pitch in No. 7 shirts and a pause in the seventh minute for fans to applaud.
The number 7 had long been synonymous with Portuguese football greatness through players such as Luís Figo before Ronaldo made it his own.
The design change ensures that association endures even as a new generation inherits the shirt.
