Rafael Leão wore Cristiano Ronaldo’s No. 7 for Portugal against Denmark. Here is why he received the shirt and whether he can become its next long-term star.
One day after Cristiano Ronaldo walked out of Portugal’s training camp, his famous No. 7 shirt appeared on Rafael Leão’s back at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium. The timing made it look like Portugal had already chosen Ronaldo’s successor. But that is not what happened. Leão wore the number because UEFA’s Nations League regulations required Portugal to fill the vacant shirt number on its matchday squad list. The question of whether he is the right player to carry Ronaldo’s legacy is a completely different matter.
Leão normally wears No. 17 for Portugal, but that number was reassigned to Fábio Silva for the 4-2 victory over Denmark on October 1. Leão moved into the No. 7 shirt, while Ronaldo was absent after leaving camp the previous day. So, is Rafael Leão the right pick? As a temporary matchday choice, it made sense. As Ronaldo’s permanent successor, it is far too early to make that call.
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Why Did Leão Wear Ronaldo’s No. 7?
The explanation is administrative, not a decision about Ronaldo’s replacement. UEFA’s Nations League regulations require players in the matchday squad to be assigned numbers from 1 to 23. With Ronaldo no longer included in Portugal’s squad for the Denmark fixture, No. 7 could not simply be left vacant. Portugal therefore reassigned it to Leão, who had been wearing No. 17, with Fábio Silva taking 17.
That detail is important because the change came less than 24 hours after Ronaldo’s departure. The image naturally created the impression of an immediate handover, but neither Portugal nor UEFA presented the number change as the appointment of Ronaldo’s successor. Ronaldo’s future with Portugal also remains unresolved. He left camp after speaking with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença and said he would explain his reasons at a later date.
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Can Leão Make No. 7 His Own?
This is where the question becomes a footballing one. Leão has the attacking qualities to make the shirt his own, but expecting him to replicate Ronaldo would be unrealistic. The 27-year-old is an explosive wide attacker whose game relies heavily on acceleration, ball carrying, and direct running. His strengths allow him to break defensive lines and create opportunities from wide positions.
Ronaldo’s role for Portugal evolved dramatically over the years, eventually making him the team’s defining goalscorer and one of the most productive international players in football history. UEFA currently credits him with a world-record 146 goals for Portugal. Leão does not need to become another Ronaldo to justify wearing No. 7. His challenge is to become a major attacking figure for Portugal in his own way.
And there is already a personal connection to the number. After the Denmark victory, Leão said Ronaldo had been his childhood idol and that No. 7 also had special meaning for him because of its connection to his children’s birth date. He added that he simply wanted to respect the shirt and enjoy the occasion. His first night wearing it also ended with Portugal producing an emphatic result. Portugal beat Denmark 4-2, with João Cancelo, Gonçalo Ramos, Vitinha, and João Félix scoring.
That result does not make Leão Ronaldo’s replacement, but it does give the number a different starting point in his Portugal career. Ronaldo spent years turning No. 7 into part of Portugal’s identity. Leão has now worn it because circumstances demanded a new name beside the number. The real test will come only if he continues wearing it and gradually builds his own place in Portugal’s attack. So, is Rafael Leão the right pick for Ronaldo’s No. 7? For one night, the answer was straightforward. Whether he is the right player to make the shirt his own will depend on what he does next.
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