The number 7 has been associated for decades with names that made history, from English legends to global football stars, before becoming, with Cristiano Ronaldo, a symbol almost synonymous with his name.
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Among the most prominent figures to have worn this number throughout history is George Best, who was associated with the number 7 shirt at Manchester United during an era that saw him win the English league title twice with the club, in addition to winning the European Cup in 1968, the year in which he also won the Ballon d'Or.
Then came Bryan Robson, before the Frenchman Eric Cantona took over the number, becoming one of Manchester United’s most prominent figures during the 1990s, and contributing to four English league titles during his time with the club.
After Cantona, the legacy of the number passed to David Beckham, who became one of the most famous players of Manchester United and English football, before the shirt reached the player who would give it an unprecedented identity.
When Cristiano Ronaldo arrived at Manchester United in 2003, number 7 wasn't his first choice, as he had worn number 28 at Sporting Lisbon. But after his move to Manchester, he took the number previously worn by Best, Robson, Cantona, and Beckham.
Over the years, Ronaldo has become more than just a player who wears the number 7; the number has become part of his sporting and commercial identity.
From Manchester United to Real Madrid, then Juventus and the Portuguese national team, Ronaldo maintained the number, until his name became a globally recognized abbreviated symbol: CR7.
This is why FourFourTwo magazine chose Cristiano Ronaldo as the player most associated with the number 7, despite a long list of legends who wore the shirt before him, including Best, Cantona, Beckham, Raul, Luis Figo and Kenny Dalglish.
The legacy of the number did not stop with Ronaldo, as it was also carried by great stars such as Luis Figo, Antoine Griezmann, Luis Suarez and others, but few were able to give the number an identity that matches what Ronaldo did.
After Ronaldo left the Portuguese national team camp in Copenhagen, Rafael Leao appeared wearing the number 7 jersey in the squad for the match against Denmark in the UEFA Nations League.
The official UEFA match roster confirmed that Leao was registered with number 7, while Fabio Silva wore number 17, which was previously held by Leao.
But the transfer of the number does not necessarily mean that Leao has become the permanent owner of the shirt.
According to the Portuguese newspaper Renascença, the Nations League regulations stipulate that numbers from 1 to 23 be allocated to players included in the match squad, and therefore the number 7 had to be given to another player after Ronaldo was left out of the squad.
Furthermore, the general squad list on the UEFA website still shows Ronaldo and Leao together with the number 7, which reinforces that the matter is related to the current squad, and not an official announcement of the number being permanently transferred.
The question remains: can any new player write another chapter in the history of the number 7, or has the Ronaldo era made the task of whoever comes after him more difficult?
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