Rafael Leao and the weight of Cristiano Ronaldo’s “7”: Fans are divided over the former Milan player’s performance
For the first time since the sensational rift between Cristiano Ronaldo and head coach Jorge Jesus, Portugal’s historic No. 7 jersey has been handed to Rafael Leao. This detail did not go unnoticed, considering that for over twenty years, that number has been synonymous with CR7’s achievements and some of the most significant moments in the history of the Portuguese national team.
Against Denmark, in Portugal’s 4-2 victory in the Nations League, the former Milan forward (now with Galatasaray) started the match and played 63 minutes before being substituted for Trincao with the score tied at 2-2. It was a performance that likely won’t go down in the history books and drew considerable criticism from fans and experts alike, though it also earned some—not-so-timid—applause from others.
Leão did, in fact, contribute to the offensive play by creating a scoring chance, completing 90% of his attempted passes (18 out of 20), and recovering two balls, while also showing willingness to contribute when not in possession. The stats for the 1999-born player paint a picture of a solid performance, albeit without the bursts of speed and decisive plays that fans and experts expect from a player of his talent.
That, however, is precisely the point. Wearing Portugal’s No. 7 inevitably means facing the most daunting comparison possible: Cristiano Ronaldo has turned that number into a symbol, building a legendary career with the national team filled with records, trophies, and decisive goals. For anyone called upon to carry on that legacy, expectations automatically rise.
On a night when Portugal scored through Cancelo, Gonçalo Ramos, Vitinha, and João Félix, Rafael Leão did his job without any standout moments, but also without making any major mistakes. The feeling, however, is that the debate over the No. 7 jersey is bound to follow him for a long time to come. Because while a decent performance might be enough for any other player, when you’re wearing the number that belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo for two decades, the judgment inevitably becomes harsher.
