Portugal pay emotional tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo, Immortalise No. 7 jersey after retirement

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) staged a special tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo before and during the UEFA Nationas League match between Portugal and Denmark at the Braga Municipal Stadium.

Earlier this month, Ronaldo announced his Portugal retirement, ending one of the greatest international careers in football history. The 41-year-old won 234 senior caps for his country and scored an astonishing 146 goals. Both totals are world records in the men's game.

The initiative involved players and fans in four distinct moments, celebrating the career, leadership, and legacy of an indispensable figure in the history of the National Team.

The tribute began outside the Braga Municipal Stadium, where fans were invited to leave a message of thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo.

One of the highlights was the teams' entrance onto the field, with the starting eleven players and their young companions wearing shirts specially designed to mark the occasion. The footballers' kits included the number 7 dedicated to Ronaldo, reinforcing the symbolic nature of the tribute.

FPF has decided that, starting with the game against Denmark, corresponding to the 5th round of the Nations League, the number 7 jersey of the National Team, which belonged to Ronaldo, will have a different graphic design, with a different number 7 as well.

"This is yet another way to immortalise the meaning of such a special number and honour the legacy it represents," it said in a statement. "From today onwards, we will have a different number 7 on the jersey, but with the same essence and the same pride, reserving the previous one for the immortalisation of a story that will never be forgotten."

In the stands, fans were displaying the word 'Ronaldo' in the top tier of one of the stands and the letters 'GOAT' (Greatest Of All Time) on the bottom tier. They had cardboard cutouts placed in their respective seats, which, when raised simultaneously, formed a mosaic, complemented by the display of a giant banner with the message "Thank you, Captain!".

The celebration continued in the 7th minute, when the same message appeared simultaneously on the giant screens and on the stadium's platform, accompanied by a great round of applause from all the fans.

The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) also gave a voice to fans on the national teams' social media. Throughout the match, messages of support and gratitude to Ronaldo, shared by Portuguese fans via Instagram, were displayed on the stadium's stands. This action was only interrupted in the 7th minute to make way for the message dedicated to the captain.

Ronaldo scored at six FIFA World Cup tournaments, another unmatched tally. He was on target at Germany 2006 as a 21-year-old and was still delivering on the greatest stage of all in 2026. The superstar No. 7 bagged three goals at the finals in North America, bringing his haul of World Cup goals to 11.