🚨🗣️ Rafael Leao opens up on wearing the iconic No. 7 previous worn by Cristiano :
"I told them "No I don't want the jersey but they insisted" my reasons were very simple, Cristiano just left the camp for some reasons, we should respect him and keep the jersey till the next international break but they insisted and changed my number to 7"
"I never wanted the jersey because it's a lot of responsibility and it's too early to wear that jersey because Cristiano Ronaldo just left"
🚨Pepe on Jorge Jesus announcing Rafael Leão as Portugal’s new No. 7 less than 24 hours after Cristiano Ronaldo left the national team camp:
🗣️ Pepe: “When I saw the announcement that Rafael Leão would wear the number 7 against Denmark, honestly, it hurt me.
“Not because of Rafael. He has done absolutely nothing wrong. He is a fantastic player, and I hope he has a great game.
“But because of what that number represents.
“Cristiano Ronaldo has just left the Portugal camp, and less than 24 hours later, we are already announcing another player with his number.
“Some people will say, ‘Pepe, it’s only a shirt.’
“No.
“Not that shirt.
“Cristiano didn’t just wear number 7. He turned it into CR7. He made that number one of the most recognisable symbols in football.
“Look at Argentina and Messi. They understood that when a legend leaves, you don’t immediately rush to replace everything he represented. They have kept the number 10 vacant because they understand what it means.
“Portugal should have shown the same respect to Cristiano.
“Yes, I understand that someone has to wear number 7. Rafael has been given the shirt and he isn’t responsible for any of this.
“But the timing is what bothers me.
“Cristiano has given Portugal more than 20 years of his life. He carried that shirt through victories, defeats, criticism, injuries and moments when people said he was finished.
“And now, after the way he has left the camp, the first thing we see is another player being announced with his number.
“Maybe that wasn’t the intention.
“But sometimes football is about the message you send.
“You cannot erase CR7 in 24 hours.
“You cannot replace 20 years with one announcement.
“Rafael Leão can create his own history. He can become his own No. 7.
“But he should never be asked to carry Cristiano’s legacy.
“Because there will always be another player who wears number 7.
“There will never be another Cristiano Ronaldo.”
40 partidos seguidos sin perder, Eurocopa + mundial. Hay que empezar a abrir el debate de si esta generación de España es igual/mejor que la anterior. Por nombres sé que no, pero por títulos cuidado…
Como de grande has debido de ser para que siendo una leyenda del Madrid y estar jugando con Croacia en el Sánchez Pizjuán, el estadio entero se ponga en pie para ovacionarte.
Don Luka Modric.