Portugal honour Cristiano Ronaldo as match pauses for ‘eternal captain’

Portugal paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo before their Nations League match against Denmark, with the game briefly interrupted in the seventh minute as supporters celebrated the former captain’s international career.

The ceremony took place at Braga’s Municipal Stadium on Saturday, after Ronaldo announced his retirement from international football on 5 November.

Every Portugal player entered the pitch wearing a shirt bearing the number seven – the symbol most closely associated with Ronaldo during his 23 years with the national team.

The initiative was organised by Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca in cooperation with captains Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Bruno Fernandes. It was held after approval from UEFA.

When the match reached the seventh minute, play was halted for a tribute as the crowd applauded Ronaldo. Proenca has described the 41-year-old as the “eternal captain”.

Supporters also unveiled a huge tifo displaying the words: “Thank you, captain”, marking the forward’s contribution and legacy with Portugal.

Portugal manager Jorge Jesus called the gesture a “wonderful idea”, saying Ronaldo’s 23 years with the national side and his achievements for Portugal and world football could never be forgotten.

Jesus also highlighted his personal knowledge of Ronaldo’s ability and importance, having worked with him for a full year during their time together at Saudi club Al Nassr. He said the player represented a significant figure for younger generations.

Portugal change number seven design

The Portuguese Football Federation has also made a permanent change to the graphic design of the number seven on the national team’s shirts.

The number will now appear in a different typeface, divided by a white line. The previous design associated with Ronaldo will nevertheless be retained as a permanent tribute to his career.

Ronaldo ended his international career with two world records. He made 234 appearances for Portugal and scored 146 goals, making him the most-capped player and the leading scorer in the history of men’s international football.

He helped Portugal win the European Championship in 2016 before contributing to Nations League triumphs in 2019 and 2025. Those successes formed part of the most significant achievements in the national team’s history.

Ronaldo announced his decision in a video message shared on his social media accounts. In it, he said the time had come to hand the number seven shirt to the next generation, while stressing that he would continue to support Portugal.

His retirement decision followed disagreements with Jorge Jesus over his involvement in matches. Ronaldo left the national team camp angry before subsequently deciding to end his international career.