UEFA CONFIRMS RAFAEL LEÃO AS PORTUGAL’S NO. 7 AFTER RONALDO’S DEPARTURE

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

UEFA has confirmed that Rafael Leão will wear Portugal’s iconic No. 7 shirt in the team’s next two UEFA Nations League matches following Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure from the national team camp.

Leão, who normally wears the No. 17 jersey for Portugal, has been listed as No. 7 on UEFA’s official squad list for Thursday’s clash with Denmark in Copenhagen and Sunday’s home fixture against Norway.

Football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reported on Thursday that UEFA had confirmed Leão’s temporary switch to the number following Ronaldo’s exit.

New call-up Fábio Silva has been handed Leão’s former No. 17 shirt.

The change is in line with UEFA Nations League regulations, which require the 23 players named in a matchday squad to wear consecutive shirt numbers from 1 to 23, without gaps.

Ronaldo left the Portugal camp on Wednesday after he was an unused substitute in the team’s 2-1 victory over Norway on Sunday.

The 41-year-old had started Portugal’s previous match, a 1-0 win over Wales, which marked Jorge Jesus’s first game in charge of the national team.

Portugal currently lead Group A4 after winning their opening two matches. They travel to Copenhagen to face Denmark at Parken Stadium on Thursday before returning home to host Norway at the Estádio do Dragão on Sunday.

Leão will therefore make his first appearance in Portugal’s historic No. 7 shirt since Ronaldo’s departure from the current camp.