Leão steps into the spotlight as Ronaldo exits camp
Portugal’s squad for Thursday’s Nations League match in Denmark arrived with a major twist: Cristiano Ronaldo is no longer part of the group, and Rafael Leão will wear the famous No. 7 shirt. UEFA released the 23-man list on Thursday morning, confirming the change shortly after Ronaldo left the national team camp.
For years, Portugal’s No. 7 has been inseparable from Ronaldo’s identity. The shirt became so closely tied to him that the number itself turned into a global brand, which is why Leão taking it for this match carries extra weight even if the move is only temporary.
Leão normally wears No. 17 for Portugal, but against Denmark he will inherit the number Ronaldo has carried throughout his international career. That shift makes this squad update feel symbolic as well as practical.
How Portugal’s lineup picture changed
The revised squad brings a few other notable adjustments beyond the shirt switch. Portugal had to reshuffle its matchday numbering once Ronaldo was removed from the Denmark list, and the vacant No. 17 was handed to Fábio Silva, who also made the squad.
- Rafael Leão changes from No. 17 to No. 7
- Fábio Silva takes the open No. 17 and joins the matchday group
- Bruno Fernandes returns after missing the Norway win because of injury
- Francisco Conceição remains out while continuing his recovery
The adjustment is straightforward under UEFA’s Nations League rules. Each team must submit a 23-player roster for every league-stage match, with every player assigned a number from 1 to 23, so once Ronaldo was absent, No. 7 became available for someone else.
Why Ronaldo left before kickoff in Copenhagen
Ronaldo departed the camp on Wednesday, September 30, after coach Jorge Jesus spoke to reporters and after a conversation with Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proença. The 41-year-old said he would explain his decision later.
The situation had been building for several days. Ronaldo started on the bench in Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway, then trained separately from the main group even though he was fit. Jesus said the veteran forward was unhappy with that decision, but he denied that the matter had turned into a true conflict.
The timing, coming so close to the Denmark match, has fueled intense speculation, and even Portugal’s prime minister has reportedly become involved. Still, the federation has not announced any retirement plans, and Ronaldo’s future with the national team remains open as of October 1.