Cristiano Ronaldo sought permission from Juan Cuadrado before taking his favourite number seven shirt at Juventus.
Ronaldo completed a blockbusting €112million move to the Serie A champions last month, with many of his record-breaking deeds for Manchester United, Real Madrid and Portugal having taken place with “7” on his back.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner famously has his own “CR7” brand and Colombia winger Cuadrado was only too happy to accommodate his new team-mate.
“Of course, it’s my favourite number,” Ronaldo told DAZN after joining the world’s first truly dedicated live sports streaming service as a global ambassador.
“He said, ‘For me, it’s not a problem. It will be a pleasure for me to give you my number seven, my shirt’.
“I am surprised, in a good way because the club helped me and Cuadrado accepted very well.
As for Ronaldo, his history with the no.7 shirt hasn’t always been a straightforward one.
When CR7 arrived at Man United he initially requested the no.28 shirt, which was the same he number he’d worn at Sporting CP.
However United insisted he took the no.7 shirt which still smelt of George Best, Eric Cantona and David Beckham’s aftershave. When he rocked up at Madrid the no.7 shirt was still being worn by captain Raul, so Ronaldo had to spend a season wearing no.9.