UPortugal are preparing three special gestures to honour Cristiano Ronaldo following his retirement from international football, marking the end of his 23-year career with the national team.
The tributes will feature during Portugal’s UEFA Nations League meeting with Denmark on Saturday, November 14, at the Estádio Municipal de Braga.
According to GOAL’s report, which cited Portuguese newspaper A Bola, the Portuguese Football Federation has secured UEFA’s approval for the proposed arrangements.
The plans followed a meeting involving federation president Pedro Proença, head coach Jorge Jesus and senior players Bernardo Silva, Rúben Dias and Bruno Fernandes.
Here are the three gestures Portugal have planned.
1. Every Portugal player will wear Ronaldo’s No. 7
The first gesture will involve Portugal players wearing Ronaldo’s famous No. 7 shirt during the pre-match walkout against Denmark.
The number became closely associated with the forward throughout his international career.
The decision will allow the entire squad to recognise his contribution before their first competitive appearance since his retirement announcement.
Ronaldo made his senior international debut against Kazakhstan in August 2003. He subsequently became Portugal’s most-capped player and leading goalscorer.
According to Observador, the idea emerged from discussions involving the federation’s leadership, coach and team captains.
2. A special tribute in the seventh minute
Portugal also plan to dedicate the seventh minute of the Denmark match to their former captain.
According to the reports, play will briefly pause to allow supporters inside the stadium to participate in the tribute.
The symbolic gesture will connect Ronaldo’s iconic shirt number with the recognition of his achievements.
The initiative has received UEFA’s approval, allowing the federation to include it in the match arrangements.
Read also: Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal Career: Goals, Trophies and Records After 23 Years
3. Ronaldo’s usual room will remain empty
Beyond the stadium celebrations, Portugal have also made arrangements at their national team training headquarters.
The federation has decided to leave Ronaldo’s usual room at the Cidade do Futebol training complex vacant during the team’s first gathering following his retirement.
The room, identified as number 201, was previously occupied by the Al-Nassr forward during national team camps.
Keeping it empty represents another symbolic acknowledgement of his departure after more than two decades with Portugal.
The gesture was also reported by Observador.
What Ronaldo achieved with Portugal
Ronaldo announced his international retirement on November 5, ending a career that began in August 2003.
According to Flashscore, the 41-year-old finished with 234 appearances and 146 goals for Portugal.
Both figures are men’s international football records.
He also captained Portugal to its first European Championship title in 2016. The country subsequently won the UEFA Nations League in 2019 and 2025, giving him three major international trophies.
Read also: Cristiano Ronaldo: When He Could Play for Portugal Again After Ban
His retirement means Portugal will begin a new chapter without the player who led its national team for several generations.
However, the planned celebrations show how the federation intends to recognise his contribution beyond his final appearance.
For Ronaldo, the No. 7 shirt may be handed to another generation, but his records and achievements will remain part of Portuguese football history.