Sir Alex Ferguson convinced Ronaldo to wear the No. 7 shirt after his move to Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon.
Over the years, several greats; Eric Cantona, George Best and Garrincha to name a few; have graced the No. 7 jersey in football. While each left a mark, none are as synonymous with the iconic number as Cristiano Ronaldo.
Doting fans commonly refer to the Portuguese superstar as CR7, which today is nothing short of a global megabrand. Interestingly, Cristiano Ronaldo also owns the CR7 trademark and runs a luxury menswear brand under the banner.
But how did Cristiano become associated with the number 7? Here’s the full story.
Why is the number 7 jersey coveted
In many cultures around the world, the number seven is considered lucky. So, in many fronts of life, including sports, any involvement with the number is highly sought-after.
More often than not, the best or most talented players get their pick of jersey numbers, which has had a cascading effect on the myth of the No. 7 jersey in due time. Watching great players don the No. 7 on the field has only made the number more desirable for future generations.
What was Cristiano Ronaldo’s first jersey number
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first jersey number was No. 28, given to him after he broke into the Sporting Lisbon first team from the youth setup in 2002.
In fact, it was in his jersey No. 28 that Ronaldo turned up for Sporting Lisbon in a pre-season friendly against Manchester United on August 6, 2003. The friendly match was organised to mark the opening of the Estadio Jose Alvalade – Sporting’s new and current home ground.
Ronaldo, at the time just 18, tormented the famous Manchester United defence in the match. Such was the youngster’s impact in the contest, that Man Utd players thronged Sir Alex Ferguson, the then United manager, and David Gill, then the chief executive, in the team bus and demanded that Cristiano Ronaldo be brought to Old Trafford.
A week later, Ronaldo was a Manchester United player.
Why did Cristiano Ronaldo wear the No. 7 jersey at Manchester United
As fate would have it, English superstar David Beckham, who used to occupy United’s No. 7 jersey before Ronaldo, had left the club for Real Madrid earlier in the same summer transfer window.
Manchester United’s iconic No. 7 jersey, worn over the years by club legends like Bryan Robson, George Best and Eric Cantona, was lying vacant and Sir Alex Ferguson deemed Ronaldo fit to take up the mantle.
Cristiano Ronaldo, still barely a teenager at the time, was initially unsure if he was ready to take up such a huge responsibility. Taking over the shirt from Beckham, a Manchester local boy and cult hero, was, after all, a monumental task.
But moved by Sir Alex’s confidence in him, Ronaldo accepted the iconic number. Ronaldo made his Manchester United debut wearing the No. 7 jersey number after coming on as a substitute against Bolton Wanderers in United’s 2003-04 Premier League season opener at Old Trafford. The rest, as they say,
Temporary No. 9 jersey in Real Madrid
By the time Ronaldo moved to Real Madrid, his childhood dream club, in 2009, he was already one of the best players in the world.
Despite his reputation, though, Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t retain the No. 7 jersey after his move to Real Madrid as at the time, it belonged to Raul Gonzalez, a true Madrid local boy and cult hero at the Santiago Bernabeu.