Portugal hand number seven to Carlos Forbs as Cristiano Ronaldo era comes to an end

Portugal will begin a new chapter with the number seven shirt when Club Brugge winger Carlos Forbs wears it against Denmark on Saturday in the fifth round of the Nations League.

The shirt has been closely associated with Cristiano Ronaldo for more than two decades, but the Portuguese Football Federation has announced a special redesign to mark the legacy of the former captain.

The federation said the new graphic would be introduced for the match while the previous design would be retained as a record of Ronaldo’s international career. It added that the number would continue to represent the memories, achievements and emotions created by the Portugal forward.

“This is another way of celebrating the meaning of a very special number and honouring the legacy it represents,” the federation said. “There are stories, memories, achievements and emotions that will forever be associated with Cristiano Ronaldo.”

The federation added that, although the appearance of the shirt would change, it would retain the same “essence and pride”. The previous design, it said, would remain a reminder of a career that would never be forgotten.

Forbs’ temporary role

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus has decided to give the shirt to Forbs for the Denmark fixture, making him the first player to wear it since Ronaldo ended his international career.

Forbs is not expected to keep the number permanently. According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Rafael Leao is the leading candidate to succeed Ronaldo as Portugal’s number seven.

Leao, who plays for Milan, is absent from Portugal’s current squad after suffering an injury and therefore cannot take the shirt for the team’s two present fixtures. His absence has opened the way for Forbs to wear a number that has become synonymous with one of the greatest players in the country’s history.

UEFA Nations League regulations have also influenced the decision. Teams must allocate squad numbers from one to 23, meaning Portugal has to assign number seven to a player in the current group, even though the likely long-term successor is unavailable.

Forbs will therefore have the opportunity to wear the famous number against Denmark, while its future beyond the match remains undecided until Leao returns and potentially takes over from Ronaldo.

Ronaldo’s international legacy

Ronaldo brought his Portugal career to a close at the start of November, ending a 23-year association with the national team. During that time, number seven became one of the defining symbols of his achievements.

For Portugal supporters, the shirt was more than a number. It represented years of appearances, successes and defining moments produced by Ronaldo, making it difficult to separate the player’s identity from the shirt he wore throughout his international career.

The federation’s decision to introduce a new design while preserving the old one reflects a transition between eras: commemorating Ronaldo’s contribution while allowing a new generation to create its own history in the number seven shirt.