Rafael Leão speaks about wearing Cristiano Ronaldo's jersey

2 October 2026, 13:00·41·Sport

Portugal national team forward Rafael Leão stated that wearing the number 7 jersey, the most legendary number in the country's football history, was a huge honor for him. According to Goal.com, the player shared his impressions after the Nations League match against Denmark. This change was one of the key factors in the team's convincing victory. This is reported by Goal.com .

The responsibility of a legendary number

After Cristiano Ronaldo suddenly left the national team camp, the task of wearing his vacant number 7 jersey fell to Rafael Leão. For a player who usually wears number 17 for the national team, this was a highly responsible step. Realizing that replacing the five-time Ballon d'Or winner and wearing his sacred number is not easy, the forward accepted the task with pleasure.

In the intense match against Denmark, the Portuguese scored unanswered goals and won 4-2. Leão gave his all on the pitch and tried not to tarnish the prestige of the legendary jersey. This victory was recognized as one of the important steps in the tournament.

Childhood idol and personal symbolic meaning

In an interview with the press after the game, Rafael Leão emphasized that this event was not just a number change for him. He did not hide the fact that he has considered Cristiano Ronaldo his idol since childhood. "Wearing the number seven was a very special moment for me because Cristiano has been my idol since I was a child," the player said.

He also mentioned that this number has a place in his personal life. According to Leão, his children were also born on the 7th of the month, which made this event even more symbolic and joyful. For this reason, the player expressed that he is infinitely happy to wear this jersey.

In the Portugal national team, the number 7 has been a symbol of unparalleled international success and victories for years. Rafael Leão understands the huge demands and expectations behind this jersey. "I did my best to respect this number and this jersey," the forward concluded.