In a surprising turn of events, Cristiano Ronaldo has been stripped of his beloved number ‘7’ in the Portugal National Team after 17 years. This development was announced on Thursday when Ronaldo was absent from Portugal’s friendly match against Sweden.
For the first time since 2007, another player wore the iconic ‘7’ jersey, with Bruma being the chosen one. Despite starting from the bench, Bruma seized the opportunity and scored Portugal’s fourth goal in their 5-2 victory over Sweden.
Bruma, a 29-year-old forward for Sporting Braga, has now scored his second goal for the Portuguese national team. In a previous statement while playing for Galatasaray in 2014, Bruma expressed his admiration for Cristiano Ronaldo, calling him the best in the world and his great idol.
As Portugal moves forward without Ronaldo as their number ‘7’, Bruma’s performance and talent on the field have shown that the team has plenty of other skilled players to rely on. Fans will have to adjust to seeing a new face in the iconic jersey, but Bruma’s abilities have proven that he is ready to step up to the challenge.