Ronaldo tribute: All players wear No. 7, jersey immortalised with permanent change

Portugal honored their retiring star, Cristiano Ronaldo, in their opening UEFA Nations League match without him. Every player wore the No. 7 jersey that the forward immortalized throughout his international career. Even the young mascots matched his tribute by donning the iconic shirt. Supporters cheered with a banner reading "Obrigado, capi7ão" — Thank you, captain — alongside photos of Ronaldo's European Championship and Nations League victories.

In a permanent change to honor Ronaldo's legacy, the Portuguese team altered the No. 7 on their shirts, adding a horizontal line through the number to distinguish it from future wearers. The post on social media also referred to Ronaldo as the Greatest Of All Time, using a goat emoji to underline the sentiment. Ronaldo, who played for Portugal for 23 years, scored 146 goals in 246 appearances, making him the all-time leading international goalscorer for his country.

He captained Portugal to their first major international trophy, the Euro 2016, and led them to win the Nations League in 2019 and 2025. Ronaldo's international career included participation in six FIFA World Cups. This tribute came nine days after Ronaldo announced his retirement on November 5. The match against Denmark, played nine days after the announcement, ended in a disappointing 4-1 loss for Portugal, with Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund scoring twice.

Despite the defeat, Portugal remained at the top of the League A Group Four standings, ahead of Denmark by three points. Norway currently sits in third place with six points, while Wales finds themselves at the bottom of the group with only three points. One more round of league-phase matches remains, with Wales facing Portugal and Denmark set to play Norway on Tuesday.