Piers Morgan has reacted angrily after Rafael Leao was handed Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous No. 7 shirt for Portugal’s Nations League clash with Denmark, calling the decision “disgusting”.
Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp on Wednesday following a dispute with new manager Jorge Jesus, less than 24 hours before UEFA confirmed the squad numbers for the Denmark fixture.
The 41-year-old had been left on the bench during Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway before returning home, with his international future now a major talking point.
UEFA rules explain why Rafael Leao took Ronaldo’s No. 7
Morgan, a long-time supporter of Ronaldo, criticised Portugal after the number was reassigned to Leão.
“Disgusting, if true. After everything Cristiano has done for Portugal, why the hell are they treating him like this? Yesterday was his father’s birthday, and he played for his country the day after his dad died. Shameful to see this shocking disrespect for their greatest player.”
However, Portugal did not simply decide to take Ronaldo’s shirt away. International regulations require teams to allocate consecutive squad numbers from 1 to 23, meaning No. 7 cannot simply be left vacant when Ronaldo is unavailable.
Leao has worn the number for Portugal before in Ronaldo’s absence. Goncalo Guedes had it in April, while Carlos Forbs wore No. 7 during Ronaldo’s suspension in November 2025.
Bruma also took the shirt against Sweden in March 2024, while Pedro Neto, Ricardo Horta, Francisco Trincao, Sergio Oliveira, Ricardo Quaresma and Nani have all worn it at different points.
Morgan later continued his criticism of Jesus, while Rio Ferdinand defended Ronaldo and highlighted Portugal’s achievements during his international career.
Portugal then beat Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen without their captain, maintaining their perfect Nations League record. Jesus said his squad remained united, insisting: “The things that happen don’t separate the group; they haven’t separated us and they won’t separate us.”
Leao wearing No. 7 therefore reflects an existing squad-number rule rather than a decision to permanently replace Ronaldo, with Portugal still facing questions over what happens when the veteran returns or addresses his departure.
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