Piers Morgan Slams Portugal Over Rafael Leao’s No. 7 Shirt After Ronaldo Exit

British broadcaster Piers Morgan has criticised Portugal’s decision to hand Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic No. 7 shirt to Rafael Leao following the veteran forward’s departure from the national team camp.

Leao wore the No. 7 shirt in Portugal’s Nations League match against Denmark on Thursday, replacing his usual No. 17. The change came after Ronaldo left the squad ahead of the fixture.

Morgan reacted to the decision in a post on X, describing it as “disgusting” and “shameful” while defending Ronaldo’s contribution to Portuguese football.

“Disgusting, if true. After everything @Cristiano has done for Portugal, why the hell are they treating him like this?” Morgan wrote.

He also recalled Ronaldo’s commitment to Portugal following the death of his father, arguing that the forward had made significant sacrifices for the national team.

“Shameful to see this shocking disrespect for their greatest player,” Morgan added.

However, reports from Portugal indicate that the reassignment of the No. 7 shirt was linked to UEFA competition rules rather than a decision to permanently remove Ronaldo’s number. Players in the Nations League are required to use squad numbers from 1 to 23, meaning Leao took No. 7 while Fábio Silva was assigned Leao’s usual No. 17.

The change followed Ronaldo’s unexpected departure from Portugal’s training camp after a disagreement surrounding his role in the team. Ronaldo had been an unused substitute in Portugal’s previous Nations League match against Norway, while coach Jorge Jesus indicated he would not necessarily start against Denmark.

Ronaldo subsequently left the camp and said he would explain his reasons for the decision at a later time. The Portuguese Football Federation has not publicly provided a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding his departure.

Despite the controversy, Portugal defeated Denmark 4-2 in Copenhagen, with Leao wearing the No. 7 shirt. The result gave Portugal three wins from three matches in their Nations League campaign.