{
  "id": 11173810,
  "title": "Rafael Leão handed Portugal’s No. 7 shirt after Ronaldo’s departure",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/rafael-leao-handed-portugals-no-7-shirt-after-ronaldos-departure",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-01T11:10:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/rafael-leao-handed-portugals-no-7-shirt-after-ronaldos-departure/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "UEFA has announced that Rafael Leão will don Portugal's illustrious No. 7 jersey for the upcoming UEFA Nations League encounters, following Cristiano Ronaldo's departure from the national team. The 41-year-old Galatasaray striker, who typically dons No. 17 for the Seleção, will now don the historic number 7 on the official squad list for Thursday's clash against Denmark in Copenhagen and Sunday's home fixture against Norway. This change, as reported by football transfer analyst, was confirmed by UEFA as Leão was listed as Portugal's No7 for the next two games post Ronaldo's exit. To maintain compliance with UEFA Nations League regulations, which stipulate the 23-player matchday squad must wear consecutive numbers from 1 to 23 without any gaps, Fábio Silva has been assigned the previous No. 7 to Leão. Cristiano Ronaldo, a 41-year-old veteran, was an unused substitute in the 2-1 victory over Norway on Sunday, and had started the previous match against Wales, marking Jorge Jesus's first game as Portugal's manager. Portugal currently leads Group A4 with two wins and will travel to Parken Stadium tonight before hosting Norway at Estádio do Dragão on Sunday. Gilbert Ekugbe, a seasoned journalist at Punch Newspapers, covers business and economic affairs, specializing in markets, corporate developments, finance, and Nigeria's broader economic landscape. His reporting is guided by a commitment to accuracy and responsible journalism.",
  "summary": "Rafael Leão will wear Portugal’s iconic No. 7 jersey for the next two UEFA Nations League matches following Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from the camp. Read More: https://punchng.com/rafael-leao-handed-portugals-no-7-shirt-after-ronaldos-departure/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Gulf News",
        "title": "Cristiano Ronaldo unhappy after broken Portugal promise",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/cristiano-ronaldo-unhappy-after-broken-portugal-promise",
        "published": "2026-09-30T10:16:59.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Rafael Leão handed Portugal’s No. 7 shirt after Ronaldo’s departure",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/rafael-leao-handed-portugals-no-7-shirt-after-ronaldos-departure-11176039",
        "published": "2026-10-01T11:26:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}