Seeing that the twilight season for Cristiano Ronaldo’s illustrious footballing career has been activated, it is time to embrace the inevitable. And do so in ‘style.’ Take another jersey number apart from jersey number 7. It would not matter if the new jersey brings more laurels to the already stunning cabinet as that would only last for a moment. There are definitely more footballing laurels in Cristiano Ronaldo’s past than in his future.

For diehard fans and admirers who have been looking for a fitting scapegoat to carry the blame for the eventual transition into the post playing season, the suggestion for CR7 to take another jersey number apart from 7, looks like a reasonable one, if eventually he leaves Juventus Fc for another club on or before the current transfer window closes. Hope those admirers who are fixated on him as the GOAT did not miss the ‘goat’ in scapegoat? If he takes another jersey number and begins a spell of poor performances, the conversation can easily be made about the new number being the cause and not his age or long active playing years. While the expected analyses and commentaries fixate on the new number, CR7 can walk quietly into the new season. Number experts abound everywhere. Those who believe strongly that certain numbers can bring jaded results may be found in many places.

And if he needed any further motivation in this regard, his long-term challenger and rival for the title of world’s greatest footballer of the modern era, Lionel Messi, has already shown the wisdom in the idea – he is not wearing the famous number 10 at PSG but jersey number 30.