da blaze casino： Bruma made his way into the history books as he became the only player, barring Cristiano Ronaldo, to wear Portugal's iconic No.7 shirt since 2007.
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Ronaldo rested against SwedenBruma took the No.7Found the net after Bruno Fernandes set him upGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
Portugal hardly missed Ronaldo as they cruised to a 5-2 victory over Sweden in an international friendly at the Estadio Dom Afonso Henriques in Guimaraes on Thursday evening. However, quite surprisingly, the No.7 jersey still graced the pitch as it was Bruma who took up the shirt in the absence of their talismanic forward. In the process, he became the only player other than Ronaldo to don the jersey for since 2007, according to
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Bruma started the match on the bench but was introduced in the second half by manager Roberto Martinez. He made the most of a rare opportunity by scoring Portugal's fourth goal after Bruno Fernandes' superb assist.
DID YOU KNOW?
It was a special night for Bruma who got the opportunity to take the field with the No.7 on his back. Just like Ronaldo, the winger grew up at Sporting and has always looked up to him for inspiration.
"I met him for the first time as a youngster and a few times since, most recently as part of the national team," Bruma had told in a past interview.
"We always have a good chat. He's my biggest idol, but it feels more like a friendship. He's the best footballer in the world. He's a great person, a role model for everyone, especially the youngsters. That's why he's so important to the young players currently in the national team. Everyone's always watching him in training and doing things the same way. If Ronaldo was always mouthing off or skipping training it'd influence the youngsters. But he's a quiet guy and very professional. That's plain for everyone to see".
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?
Bruma might have to settle with his usual No. 17 as Ronaldo is expected to return to the fold against Slovenia on Tuesday.