The Ronaldo era has ended: The new captain of the Portugal national team has been officially announced

A whole historical era is changing in Portuguese football. After Cristiano Ronaldo officially concluded his legendary career with the national team, the name of the team's new primary captain has been revealed.

According to the Notícias ao Minuto publication, the captain's armband has now been handed to 32-year-old experienced midfielder Bernardo Silva.

New captaincy hierarchy: Silva, Fernandes, and Dias

The national team's coaching staff and management have formed a new sequence of captains based on experience and the number of matches played for the team:

• Primary captain — Bernardo Silva: The Manchester City star has played a total of 115 matches in the Portugal jersey and has attained the status of the team's main leader;

• Second captain — Bruno Fernandes: The Manchester United captain has 97 appearances in the national team jersey;

• Third captain — Ruben Dias: The experienced central defender took the third spot with 84 matches;

• Fourth captain — Joao Cancelo: The full-back, who has appeared in 77 matches for the national team, was confirmed as the fourth vice-captain on the list.

Ronaldo's unparalleled legacy

The responsibility placed on the new captains is immense, as their predecessor set the greatest records in the history of world football:

• 234 matches and 146 goals: Cristiano Ronaldo remains in history as the absolute world record holder for the number of matches played and goals scored for a national team;

• From greatness to a new era: After the 41-year-old legend who had worn the armband since 2008, the Portugal national team is heading toward new victories under the leadership of Bernardo Silva.