Portugal will honor Cristiano Ronaldo during the Nations League match against Denmark. Players will wear his No. 7 jersey, and a seventh-minute standing ovation is planned to celebrate the legendary footballer's iconic 23-year career.
Portugal to Pay Tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo in Nations League Match
Portugal will pay tribute to football star Cristiano Ronaldo on Saturday when it takes on Denmark in the Nations League at the Estadio Municipal de Braga, marking the team's first match since the forward announced his retirement from international football on November 5. According to World Soccer Talk, the tribute will see all Portuguese players walk onto the pitch wearing the No. 7 jersey, the iconic number associated with Ronaldo during his 23-year career with the national team.
However, it remains unclear whether Ronaldo himself will be present in the stands for the occasion. The decision was reportedly finalised during a meeting on Thursday involving Portuguese Football Federation president Pedro Proenca, head coach Jorge Jesus and the team's three captains, Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Bruno Fernandes. As part of the planned tribute, the match is also expected to be paused in the seventh minute, allowing spectators at the stadium to give Ronaldo a standing ovation in recognition of his contribution to Portuguese football. The gesture has reportedly received approval from the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
Ronaldo's No. 7 jersey has become synonymous with his international career, during which he represented Portugal for more than two decades. The proposed tribute will offer the national team and its supporters an opportunity to acknowledge his legacy as he prepares to bring his international career to a close. The Portugal coach Jorge Jesus was asked about the homage at his press conference on the eve of the match, where he explained that the idea did not originate with him or his staff. “Such decisions are always the responsibility of the Portuguese Football Federation, more specifically its football and sporting departments and its president,” he said, as quoted by World Soccer Talk.
Jesus hailed Ronaldo, saying that nobody can forget what the legendary footballer has done to the nation in his 23-year-old career. “It is brilliant because nobody can forget the 23 years Cris spent with the national team, what he achieved for Portugal, and the impact he has had on the world of football”. Cristiano, currently sitting at 985 professional football goals, left international football with 146 goals in 234 appearances for Portugal. He holds both records in men's international football of most appearances and most goals. His career with the national team began on August 20, 2003, when he made his debut as a substitute against Kazakhstan, and concluded on September 24, 2026.
The Portuguese forward has scored 11 goals in 27 World Cup appearances, making him his country's leading goalscorer in the competition. His 14 goals in the European Championship final tournaments are also a men's record. The 41-year-old has scored against 49 different national-team opponents, underlining his consistency across a wide range of international competitions and qualifying campaigns. Luxembourg have been his most frequent victim, conceding 11 goals to him, followed by Hungary with nine. His international record also includes 10 hat-tricks, including two four-goal performances. He has scored 22 penalties for Portugal and registered 124 goals in competitive international fixtures, excluding friendlies. He is the only player to have scored at six different men's World Cups, having registered goals in Germany (2006), South Africa (2010), Brazil (2014), Russia (2018), Qatar (2022) and the 2026 edition. His combined tally of 25 goals at the European Championship and FIFA World Cup is another record, highlighting his ability to deliver on the biggest international stages.
His international career included several difficult moments, particularly Portugal's unsuccessful campaigns at major tournaments. However, the defining achievement arrived at Euro 2016 in France. Two more major international titles followed in 2019 and 2025, with both of them being UEFA Nations League titles.
