Last updated: 11 October 2026 · shirt-number history is drawn from published squad-number records and cross-checked against the clubs' own kit archives.
Search for a Ronaldo jersey and you will be offered two different footballers wearing two different numbers — and one of them will be labelled wrong for its year. This is a guide to buying the right one, because the number on the back is the part most people get wrong.
There are two Ronaldos. Cristiano Ronaldo — the Portuguese forward, five Ballons d'Or, still playing at Al-Nassr — is R7. Ronaldo Nazário — the Brazilian striker, two World Cups and a Ballon d'Or of his own — is R9. Different men entirely. And then, on top of that, Cristiano has worn four different squad numbers across his own career.
Which Ronaldo do you actually mean?
Start here, because it is the mistake that wastes the most money. The two players overlap in exactly one place — they share a first name, a nationality of surname, and an era of the catalogue.
| Cristiano Ronaldo — “R7” | Ronaldo Nazário — “R9” | |
|---|---|---|
| Nationality | Portugal | Brazil |
| Shirt number | 7 (7 or 9, depending on the season) | 9, and 99 at AC Milan |
| Clubs you will find here | Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus, Portugal, Al-Nassr | Brazil, Inter Milan, AC Milan, PSV, Real Madrid |
| Still playing? | Yes — Al-Nassr, Saudi Pro League | No — retired in 2011 |
| Buy this if… | …you want the current, living icon | …you want the 1990s and 2002 World Cup |
Cristiano Ronaldo's number, season by season
This is the part that catches people out, and it is why a custom shirt needs a year attached to it. He did not start at 7, and he did not have 7 in his first season in Madrid.
| Club | Seasons | Number | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sporting CP | 2002–03 | 28 | Handed the leftover number as a reserve-team graduate |
| Manchester United | 2003–2009 | 7 | Alex Ferguson gave him the shirt worn by Best, Robson, Cantona and Beckham |
| Real Madrid | 2009–10 only | 9 | Raúl already held the 7, so he took 9 for one season |
| Real Madrid | 2010–2018 | 7 | Inherited it once Raúl left — and became the club's all-time leading scorer in it |
| Juventus | 2018–2021 | 7 | Juan Cuadrado gave up the number on arrival |
| Manchester United | 2021–22 | 7 | Briefly 21 on his return before the 7 was freed up |
| Al-Nassr | 2023–present | 7 | Current shirt |
| Portugal | 2003–07 | 17 | The 7 belonged to Luís Figo |
| Portugal | 2007–present | 7 | Took the 7 when Figo retired from international football |
Three mistakes this prevents
- Putting 7 on a 2009-10 Real Madrid shirt. He wore 9 that season. Both numbers are in our range; only one belongs on that kit.
- Expecting a Sporting CP shirt in the 7. He wore 28 in his only senior season there. If you are building a career-spanning set, 28 is the gap most people leave — and the one we do not currently stock, so plan around it.
- Buying a pre-2007 Portugal shirt expecting a 7. Before Figo retired from the national side, Cristiano wore 17. A 2004 or 2006 Portugal shirt with a 7 on the back is a fantasy build, not a season.
What we stock, era by era
Both players are on the shelf, and the range runs from current 2026-27 kits back through the eras that made them famous. What is available depends on which Ronaldo and which chapter you want.
| Chapter | Which Ronaldo | What is on the shelf |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal | R7 | The deepest shelf of the lot — 2026-27 home and away, plus archive seasons, women's, kids, baby and mini kits |
| Manchester United | R7 | Home, away and third across several seasons, including the 2021-22 return shirts |
| Real Madrid | R7 & R9 | Home, away and third, with both the 7 and the 9 numbering depending on the season |
| Juventus | R7 | Home, away, third and training ranges, plus women's, kids and mini kits |
| Al-Nassr | R7 | The current chapter — 2026-27 home plus the 2025-26 home, away and third |
| Brazil, Inter, Milan, PSV | R9 | The Brazilian's era: national team, plus Inter, AC Milan (99) and PSV |
There is also a small run of Ronaldo legend tees — both the R7 and R9 versions — for anyone who wants the name without picking a club. The full football range sits on the soccer hub.
Three from the shelf
Note what those three are: two R7s and one R9, which is the whole guide in one row.
Sizing, because a football shirt is not an NFL shirt
If you are buying a Ronaldo shirt as a gift for someone who normally wears American sports jerseys, the size will surprise you. A football shirt is cut slim for a player's torso; an NFL jersey is built to sit over shoulder pads. They are not the same garment with a different crest.
- Measure a shirt they already wear and match it against the six-league sizing guide, which gives flat measurements for every league we stock.
- Between sizes, go up. A slim shirt half a size tight gets left in the drawer.
- Youth and mini kits are sized differently again — the kids guide explains the age bands if you are buying for a child.
Bottom line
Decide which Ronaldo first: Cristiano is R7, the Brazilian is R9. Then decide the year, because Cristiano's number changed: 28 at Sporting, 9 in his first Real Madrid season, 17 for Portugal before 2007, and 7 everywhere else. Get the number and the season lined up and the shirt is right; mix them and you have built something that never existed. And if it is a gift, size up — a football shirt is cut slim.
Frequently asked
What number does Cristiano Ronaldo wear?
7 — at Manchester United, Juventus, Al-Nassr and for Portugal since 2007. The exceptions are his only Sporting CP season (28), his first season at Real Madrid (9, because Raúl had the 7) and Portugal before 2007 (17, while Luís Figo held the 7).
Why did Ronaldo wear number 9 at Real Madrid?
Because the number 7 was already taken. Raúl, the club captain, held it when Ronaldo arrived in 2009 and asked for respect. Ronaldo took 9 for the 2009-10 season and switched to 7 the following year, once Raúl had left.
Is R9 the same person as CR7?
No — they are two different players. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) is R7. Ronaldo Nazário (Brazil), the striker who won the 2002 World Cup and retired in 2011, is R9. They share a name and nothing else.
What is a concept shirt, and should I avoid it?
A concept shirt is a design built around a player or club that was never actually worn in that exact combination — a current-season club kit with a former player's name, for example. They are legitimate fan merchandise and they look good, but they are not a reproduction of a real season. If you are buying for a collector, match the number to the year; if you just want the name on a shirt you like, a concept build is fine.
Can I put my own name and number on a Ronaldo shirt?
Yes. Custom name and number printing is included in the listed price on every style we sell, and made-to-order printing runs 3–7 working days before dispatch. Check the spelling and the size before you pay, as personalised shirts cannot be returned unless they arrive damaged.
How much does a Ronaldo jersey cost?
Most of the range sits at $39.90, with youth, mini and baby kits a little lower and some named-player and training styles slightly higher. Custom printing is included at no extra cost.
Which Ronaldo shirt is the safest gift?
A Portugal shirt with the 7, or an Al-Nassr shirt with the 7 — both are unmistakeably Cristiano, both are current, and neither depends on the recipient knowing a particular club season. If they are old enough to remember 2002, a Brazil or Inter shirt with the 9 lands just as well.
