Cristiano Ronaldo has officially received a remarkable honor during the 2023/24 season at Al Nassr, marking a successful chapter in his career. After aiding the club in securing the Arab Club Champions Cup, CR7 continued to shine, contributing 10 goals and 5 assists to bolster his home team’s position in the Saudi Pro League championship race following two initial losses at the start of the season.
While consistently excelling in Arabia, Ronaldo recently received heartwarming news from his former club in Europe. Sporting Lisbon, where he initiated his professional career, decided to pay the most exceptional tribute to the football superstar.
As previously reported, the renowned Portuguese football giant put forth a proposal to name gate number 7 at José Alvalade Stadium after Cristiano Ronaldo as a mark of respect. Last week, during the club’s general members’ meeting, the proposal was overwhelmingly approved, with an impressive 70.93% approval rate.
Following this momentous decision, Cristiano Ronaldo’s visage and the iconic number 7 were unveiled at the designated gate number at José Alvalade Stadium, precisely as planned. This location had previously been dedicated to the legendary Manuel Fernandes, who had an illustrious 441 appearances for Sporting Lisbon.
This honor holds unprecedented significance in the club’s history, particularly considering that CR7 only played 31 matches in a single season for Sporting Lisbon before transferring to Manchester United in 2003. The choice to allocate Gate number 7 to Ronaldo is indeed a special privilege, as he never wore this number during his tenure at the club.
However, Sporting Lisbon has made it evident that they want to reserve a unique place to pay homage to the greatest talent ever nurtured by their institution. Beyond his contributions at the club level, Cristiano Ronaldo currently holds the record for the most appearances and goals for both the Portuguese national team and the world. CR7 undeniably stands as the paramount legend of his country’s football, making it entirely fitting that his former club has chosen to honor him in this extraordinary manner.