“It Is Too Much for Me”: Portugal Star Rejects Cristiano Ronaldo’s Famous Number 7 Jersey
- Portugal youngster Rodrigo Mora publicly dismissed the idea of wearing Cristiano Ronaldo's iconic No. 7 shirt
- The 19-year-old Porto midfielder said the responsibility attached to the jersey was simply too great for him
- Mora's comments came after he shared a dressing room with Ronaldo before the legend announced his international retirement
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Portugal teenager Rodrigo Mora has firmly shut down talk of him inheriting Cristiano Ronaldo's famous number 7 shirt, saying the jersey carries far more weight than he is willing to take on.
Mora has progressed steadily through Porto's youth ranks and is beginning to establish a presence in the senior side.
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Those who have watched his development expect him to become a central figure for Portugal over the coming years, though Mora himself shows little interest in arriving under the banner of anyone else's reputation.
According to GOAL, the 19-year-old Porto midfielder made his feelings plain, responding with a swift and decisive answer when the question was put to him.
"No, no, no, I don't think about that," Mora said. "It is far too much for me; the number 86 suits me."
His preference for the number 86, a shirt that carries no historic baggage, reflects a broader desire to build something new rather than inherit what already exists.
Mora pays tribute to Ronaldo
Before addressing the shirt question, the teenager spoke warmly about what it meant to have shared a dressing room with the five-time Ballon d'Or winner ahead of Ronaldo's international retirement.
"I was extremely lucky to play with Cristiano and share the dressing room with him, as he is everyone's role model," Mora said.
"He has retired from international football, and Portugal thanks him greatly for everything he has given."
Born in 2007, Mora is widely considered one of the most exciting young footballers to emerge from Portugal in recent years.
His time alongside Ronaldo, however brief, clearly left an impression, and he was not short of words when it came to describing what the captain meant to Portuguese football.
Ronaldo's unmatched legacy with Portugal
The reluctance to touch the number 7 is hardly surprising given what Ronaldo built over 23 years in the national jersey.
He leaves as Portugal's all-time leading scorer and guided the country to their first major international honour, the 2016 European Championship, as well as two UEFA Nations League titles, One Football reports.
No Portuguese player has come close to matching that record, and no successor has yet stepped forward to claim the shirt.
The burden of following such a career is not lost on Mora, who appears determined to avoid the trap of comparison entirely.
Rather than position himself as an heir to Ronaldo's legacy, the Porto academy graduate is focused on carving out his own identity within the squad.
Portugal names new captain to replace Ronaldo
In another development, Legit.ng reported about Bernardo Silva’s appointment as Portugal’s new captain after Ronaldo retired from international football.
Ronaldo leaves behind a record 146 goals in 234 appearances and a legacy that includes Portugal’s first European Championship title.
Source: Legit.ng
