The whole squad in Ronaldo shirts: Portugal pay a moving tribute to Cristiano
Portugal staged a special ceremony in honor of Cristiano Ronaldo before their Nations League match against Denmark. Every player in the national team took to the pitch wearing a shirt bearing the legendary number seven, which for many years has been inseparable from the great forward’s name.
The fans were part of the tribute too: supporters prepared masks featuring their idol to join the large-scale show of appreciation. Then, in the seventh minute, the crowd gave a symbolic ovation to the former captain. UEFA approved the special ceremony.
The tribute followed Ronaldo’s decision to retire from international football. His international career spanned 23 years, during which Cristiano made 234 appearances and scored 146 goals, setting Portugal’s records in both categories.
With Portugal, the forward won Euro 2016 and lifted the Nations League trophy twice. The team and its fans came together to thank a player who had been a symbol of Portuguese football for more than two decades.
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
