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AC Milan winger Rafael Leão will don Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic No. 7 shirt when Portugal faces Denmark on Thursday.
Ronaldo, who has been inseparable from the number for nearly two decades, will play no part in Thursday's Nations League fixture after departing the Portugal camp on Wednesday following a falling out with new head coach Jorge Jesus.
Within 24 hours, UEFA released the official squad lists for Portugal's clash with Denmark, confirming that Leão had been handed the honor of wearing the legendary number.
Here's a deeper dive into what's happening.
Has Ronaldo Been Stripped of No. 7 Jersey?
Ronaldo took on Portugal's No. 7 shirt in May 2008 and never looked back. He had already been wearing No. 7 at club level, but fully embraced his CR7 identity on the international stage after being handed the shirt following the retirement of Luís Figo—the very player who inspired Ronaldo's attachment to the number.
Seeing another player in Portugal's No. 7 is a rare sight, yet it has occurred on several occasions due to a regulation that has once again come into effect.
Under international rules, squads must assign consecutive shirt numbers from 1 to 23, with no numbers left unassigned. Even though Ronaldo is no longer in the squad, the team cannot simply skip his No. 7. If he isn't wearing it, someone else must.
Portugal had no option but to reassign Ronaldo's No. 7 to another player—Leão in this instance—and have followed the same procedure whenever the Al Nassr striker has been absent from a matchday squad in the past.
Portugal's Potential Lineup Without Ronaldo
In fact, the most recent instance was just back in April. An injured Ronaldo missed friendlies against Mexico and the USMNT, with Real Sociedad's Gonçalo Guedes stepping out wearing the No. 7 on his back.
Carlos Forbs wore the No. 7 in November 2025 when Ronaldo was suspended for a World Cup qualifier against Armenia. In March 2024, Bruma took the number for a friendly against Sweden while Ronaldo was rested, just five days before he returned to reclaim his shirt.
Pedro Neto, Ricardo Horta, Francisco Trincão, Sérgio Oliveira, Ricardo Quaresma, and Nani are among the players who have also worn the No. 7 during Ronaldo's temporary absences over the years, and that pattern will continue as Ronaldo sits out matches against Denmark and Norway before this international break concludes.