Portugal players will take to the pitch against Denmark wearing Cristiano Ronaldo’s number 7 shirt to honour the forward’s departure from international football, Maisfutebol reported.
The tribute is scheduled for Saturday at 7:45 PM local time at the Estádio Municipal de Braga during the fifth round of UEFA Nations League Group A4, A Bola reported. The initiative emerged from a Thursday meeting uniting Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença, head coach Jorge Jesus, and squad captains Bernardo Silva, Rúben Dias, and Bruno Fernandes, according to A Bola.
Squad Unity in Braga
Every player in the Portuguese squad will wear the iconic number for the opening moments of the match. Observador noted questions regarding tournament regulations on squad numbering, while A Bola confirmed that UEFA authorized both the collective shirt tribute and a planned minute-seven applause from the supporters in the stands.
Legacy and Group Standings
Ronaldo ended his international career two weeks prior, concluding a national team journey that began in August 2003, O GLOBO reported. Over more than two decades, the forward accumulated 234 appearances and scored 146 goals for his country, winning the 2016 European Championship and the inaugural Nations League in 2019.
Portugal enters Saturday’s fixture needing only a single point against Denmark to secure first place in Group A4, Maisfutebol noted. Beyond the pitch, international tributes have emerged across various sectors, including a move by Dutch airline Transavia to retire the 7C seat on flights to Funchal in his home region of Madeira, as reported by Mercado e Eventos.
,autocrop(1200:630) "Photo: A Bola")
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