In the electric roar of Porto’s Estádio do Dragão, where the ghosts of Eusébio and Figo still haunt the stands, a seismic shift rippled through Portuguese football on a crisp November afternoon. It wasn’t just the 9-1 demolition of Armenia that sealed Portugal’s ticket to the 2026 World Cup – though Bruno Fernandes’ hat-trick and João Neves’ thunderbolt made sure of that. No, the real buzz, the one that’s got X timelines ablaze and pundits pausing mid-sentence, was the sight of a fresh-faced 21-year-old winger sprinting down the touchline in the hallowed No. 7 jersey. Cristiano Ronaldo’s jersey. The one that’s synonymous with 900-plus goals, five Ballon d’Ors, and a nation that treats it like a national relic.

Meet Carlos Forbs. The Club Brugge sensation who, in a twist of fate, suspension, and sheer audacity, became the temporary custodian of CR7’s crown jewel. With Ronaldo benched – serving a one-match ban from a needless red card in the Ireland draw just days prior – Forbs didn’t just get minutes. He got the number. And in doing so, he ignited a firestorm of hype, hope, and just a dash of heresy among the Seleção faithful.

From Benchwarmer to Beacon: Forbs’ Rocket Rise

Let’s rewind the tape on this kid, because his story reads like a FIFA Career Mode glitch. Born in Sintra in 2004 to Bissau-Guinean roots, Forbs was Ajax’s golden boy by 17 – a left-footed wizard with the dribble of a young Robben and the eye for goal that screams “future star.” Debuts in the Eredivisie? Check. Champions League cameos? Double check. But then came the turbulence: a premature leap to Manchester City in 2022, where Pep’s conveyor belt of talent left him loan-hopping like a yo-yo on steroids.

Stints at Augsburg and then Wolves in 2024? Brutal. Under Gary O’Neil, Forbs barely sniffed the pitch – 12 appearances, zero goals, and a candid admission that he’d “lost his smile” amid the Molineux misery. “It was tough,” he told Sky Sports last month. “Sitting on the bench, questioning everything. But it built character.” Fast-forward to July 2025: Ajax cashes in for €8 million to Club Brugge, and suddenly, Forbs is reborn. A brace and assist in a chaotic 3-3 Champions League thriller against Barcelona on November 5? Man of the Match. Four goals in eight league games? Check. Whispers of a Portugal call-up? They weren’t whispers anymore.

Roberto Martínez, the unflappable Catalan tactician, had been stalking Forbs like a hawk. “We’ve monitored him for years,” Martínez said post-call-up on November 8. “His maturity, his decision-making – he’s ready.” And ready he was. Debut against Ireland? A cautious sub appearance in a 1-1 stalemate. But against Armenia? With Ronaldo’s shadow looming large but absent, Forbs inherited the No. 7 like a hand-me-down from the gods. Subbing on in the 58th minute at 6-1 up, he terrorized the right flank: 19 touches, 80% pass accuracy, a near-assist on Fernandes’ penalty (earned after Forbs was hacked down in the box), and enough tricks to make defenders weep. Portugal romped to nine, but Forbs stole the show in 32 minutes of magic.

The Weight of the 7: Blessing or Burden?

Ah, the No. 7. In Portugal, it’s not a jersey; it’s a prophecy. Ronaldo claimed it in 2003 as an 18-year-old prodigy, turning it into a global brand – from Old Trafford glory to Saudi sorcery. Before him? Figo, the silky maestro. Before that? Futre, the flair king. It’s the number of legends, the one that comes with expectations heavier than a World Cup trophy. Fans know the lore: Wear it wrong, and you’re toast. Wear it right? You’re immortal.

Forbs, at 5’7″ and built like a Ferrari, knows the stakes. “It’s an honor,” he beamed post-match, jersey draped over his shoulder like a cape. “Cristiano is the GOAT. To wear his number, even once… it’s pressure, but the good kind.” Martínez doubled down: “Carlos embodies what the 7 means – creativity, courage. Ronaldo approves; we spoke.” (Sources close to the camp say CR7 sent a congratulatory text: “Own it, kid. Make it yours for the night.”)

But not everyone’s popping champagne. X erupted in a glorious mess: #Forbs7 trended worldwide, racking up 2.3 million mentions by midnight. Die-hards hailed it as “the passing of the torch.” One viral clip – Forbs nutmegging Armenia’s Nair Tiknizyan before whipping in a cross – garnered 1.2 million views, captioned: “Ronaldo who? 😏” Pundits piled on: “Forbs has that Ronaldo-esque arrogance without the ego,” gushed Guillem Balagué on BBC. Even Wolves fans, still smarting from his loan flop, chimed in with reluctant respect: “O’Neil’s loss is Portugal’s gain.”

Yet, the purists grumbled. “Blasphemy,” thundered one Ronaldo superfan account with 500k followers. “No one’s touching that 7 till he retires.” Memes flooded feeds: Forbs photoshopped as a baby Ronaldo sucking on a pacifier labeled “No. 7.” Another showed him in the jersey with devil horns: “The heir apparent or the antichrist?” Old-timers reminisced about the curse – players like Quaresma and Nani who wore it post-Figo but never quite scaled Ronaldo’s peaks. “It’s a jersey, not a scepter,” shrugged Luís Figo himself in a terse Instagram story. “Earn it on the pitch.”

Martínez’s Masterstroke: Building a Post-Ronaldo Era

This wasn’t random. Martínez, ever the chess player, orchestrated the switcheroo. With Ronaldo suspended after that needless elbow on Ireland’s Nathan Collins – a red that even CR7 called “stupid” in his post-match IG rant – the gaffer saw opportunity. “Why not?” he grinned in the tunnel. “Let the young blood feel the weight.” It fits his blueprint: a Portugal blending grizzled stars (Ronaldo, 40 and still scoring for Al-Nassr) with a golden generation (Leão, Félix, now Forbs). The 9-1 rout? Clinical. Fernandes’ treble, Neves’ rocket, Ramos’ brace – but Forbs’ flair added sparkle.

Off the pitch, it’s gold. Ticket sales for the December World Cup draw in Washington spiked 15% post-match, fueled by “Forbs fever.” Sponsors circle: Nike’s already teasing a “New 7” ad drop. Club Brugge coach Nicky Hayen joked: “Send him back? Only if Ronaldo signs for us.” Forbs, ever humble, deflected: “This is just the start. I want to make Portugal proud – and maybe earn that 7 for good one day.”

The Verdict: Dawn of a Dynasty or One-Night Wonder?

As the Dragão lights dimmed and confetti rained on a secured World Cup berth, Forbs lingered on the pitch, jersey in hand, soaking in chants of his name. Ronaldo watched from afar – literally, in a Riyadh hotel suite, live-tweeting fire emojis after Forbs’ penalty-earning run. “Proud of the kids,” CR7 posted. “The future is bright 🇵🇹.”

Bright? Blinding, if Forbs keeps this up. At 21, he’s got the tools: blistering pace, a wand of a left foot, and that X-factor Martínez craves. But the 7? That’s Ronaldo’s forever – a number etched in marble. For now, Forbs’ cameo was coronation enough: a debut dream, a number borrowed from the king, and a statement that Portugal’s attack won’t skip a beat post-CR7.

Will he claim it permanently? History says tread lightly – the 7 devours pretenders. But in a nation starved for the next icon, Forbs just auditioned like a boss. One thing’s certain: After today, the Seleção’s got a new prince. And the throne? It’s warming up.

Portugal marches to 2026 unbeaten in qualifiers, but all eyes are on the kid in 7. Watch this space – or better yet, the flanks. The Ronaldo era might be eternal, but Forbs is here to remix it.