Soccer: Cristiano Ronaldo Wants to Wear No. 7 Shirt

The Portuguese forward has cut short his holiday to join up with the team, as they prepare for the upcoming season with the tour of the United States.

Ronaldo has shown real enthusiasm and seems raring to go, a sign new coach Jose Mourinho will be happy with.

But with the departure of legendary Madridsta Rual Gonzalez, it seems Cristiano feels he should now get the "prestigious" No. 7 jersey.

Ronaldo, who had a pretty good season in the No. 9 shirt, feels it's time to shine with the No. 7 on his back.

In an interview on arrival in Los Angeles, he praised Jose Mourinho and had this to say—"I would like to have the No. 7 shirt and I'm sure Raul would be happy if I had it because he knows how I am and how I think.

"I already knew Mourinho well. His training sessions are spectacular. They have great intensity. We are all very happy to have him. We don't feel tired because we are extremely motivated."

"Mourinho is a winner. Real Madrid has attacking players, so we will be an offensive team. The priority right now is to get back in shape as soon as possible."

Ronaldo also took some time to pay tribute to Raul. "Raul was always an important player to Real Madrid. He made the decision that best suited his interests. He is a great professional and I'm sure he will play at a very high level."

Ronaldo will now look ahead to the preseason warm-up matches, as he and Real prepare for a blockbuster season as they look to once again go head-to-head with Barcelona for the Spanish crown.