Portuguese Player Refuses to Wear Number 7 Shirt Following Ronaldo

Portuguese young star Rodrigo Mora, a player for Italian club Roma, has declined to become the heir to the number 7 shirt, which has been associated with his compatriot Cristiano Ronaldo for more than two decades, following the latter’s announcement of his retirement from international football. Mora considers the responsibility of wearing that famous number to be beyond his current capabilities, preferring instead to keep his favorite number, 86.

Mora, 19, made his stance known during an interview with DAZN network, after Roma’s 3-0 victory over Sassuolo, when he was asked about the possibility of succeeding Ronaldo by wearing the number 7 shirt for the Portugal national team.

Mora said: “I was extremely lucky to play alongside Cristiano and share the dressing room with him; he is a role model for everyone. He has retired from international football, and Portugal is grateful for everything he has done.”

When asked about the possibility of wearing the famous number, he replied with a laugh: “No, no, no, no, I’m not thinking about that. It’s a responsibility that’s too great, and number 86 suits me.”

The young player’s position comes after he was called up to the Portugal national team squad under manager Jorge Jesus, in a new phase following Ronaldo’s retirement. Ronaldo left an exceptional legacy with his country, becoming its all-time top scorer and leading it to victory in the 2016 UEFA European Championship and twice in the UEFA Nations League.

Mora remains attached to number 86, which he chose during his career at Porto before his move to Roma in last summer’s transfer window, where he continued to wear the same number with the Italian club.

In a previous interview with Roma’s official website, the player explained that he chose number 86 when he was 15 years old, while playing for Porto’s second team, and has not wanted to change it since then, affirming his commitment to keeping it in the coming years.