Everyone wearing the number 7 and an empty room 201: Portugal honours Cristiano Ronaldo

On Saturday, Cristiano Ronaldo – who has retired from the national team – will be honoured during the Nations League match against Denmark in Braga. Among other things, all players will take to the pitch wearing his number 7 shirt.

Not there in person, yet ever-present: Cristiano Ronaldo will be the centre of attention despite his absence from Portugal’s match against Denmark. At the match in Braga, all Portuguese players will take to the pitch wearing the number 7 shirt previously worn by the retired veteran star. This decision was taken at a meeting on Thursday attended by the president of the Portuguese Football Federation, Pedro Proença, national team manager Jorge Jesus, and the current captains Bernardo Silva, Rúben Dias and Bruno Fernandes.

In the 7th minute of the match, the crowd will also pay tribute to CR7, likely in a similar manner to how they did a few days ago in Lisbon. During the match between Ronaldo’s first professional club, Sporting, and Moreirense (1–0), chants of “Siu” echoed through the stadium and banners were unfurled. Ronaldo’s number 28 shirt, which he had worn during his first season at Sporting, was displayed on the video screen.

No one to take over Room 201

UEFA has already given the go-ahead for both forms of tribute – the Portuguese did not need the association’s consent for this further gesture. At the Cidade do Futebol, the Portuguese national team’s base, Room 201 has remained empty over the past few days. That was where Ronaldo usually stayed when preparing with the Selecção. No other player was allowed to take over the room this time.

CR7 made his debut for Portugal in 2003. With 146 goals in 234 international appearances, he has scored more for his country than any other player in the world: “Throughout my entire career with the national team, I have tried to push my limits. I wanted to win, I wanted to be the best, I wanted to make history.” His greatest success with Portugal came with the title at the 2016 European Championship, when they beat hosts France 1–0 in the final after extra time.