Galatasaray forward, Rafael Leão, has officially been assigned Portugal’s iconic No. 7 jersey for the team’s upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures. The change comes following Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit from the national team camp in Copenhagen.
According to official squad lists published by UEFA, Leão, who normally wears No. 17 for the Seleção, appears as No. 7 on the official squad list for Thursday’s match against Denmark in Copenhagen and Sunday’s home game versus Norway.
The change is required under UEFA Nations League regulations, which mandate that the 23-player matchday squad must use consecutive numbers from 1 to 23 with no gaps.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo’s squad position was vacant following his exit on Wednesday, the team was forced to reallocate the number to maintain regulatory compliance.
Ronaldo’s departure came after days of speculation over his relationship with Jorge Jesus, with the football star reportedly unhappy with his reduced playing time under the new coach.
Ronaldo left the Portugal camp on Wednesday after being an unused substitute in the 2-1 win over Norway on Sunday.
The 41-year-old forward had started the previous match, a 1-0 victory against Wales that marked Jorge Jesus’s debut game in charge.
However, Portugal sit top of Group A4 after two wins and travel to Parken Stadium tonight before hosting Norway at Estádio do Dragão on Sunday.