When Cristiano Ronaldo-led Portugal national team face Armenia in a World Cup qualifier in Porto on November 16, they will be donning a regal black jersey. This is not common — the home side changing their first-choice colours. In fact, when not in their crimson red, the European side dons white with green patches, their widely recognised away colour. However, the switch to black is entirely new, and many CR7 fans are wondering if Portugal is changing their jersey shade for good.
The answer is NO. Portugal will continue to use the red colours as they have for long. The black-coloured shirts are a one-time exception at home to pay homage to their late "Black Panther".
Before Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Figo, the Os Navegadores had Eusébio, their "Pantera Negra". 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of Eusébio becoming the first Portuguese player to win the Ballon d'Or in 1965, and the European team decided to honour his memory by choosing the black and gold colours during the Armenia game. Puma have designed an homage to the legendary forward through the kit — that reverberates with his nickname. According to ESPN, the authentic version of the replica kit will be limited to 1,965 pieces and come with Eusébio's famous No. 13 squad number printed on the back in gold.
𝗔𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗚𝗢𝗘𝗦 ✨
— Portugal (@selecaoportugal) November 5, 2025
Uma edição especial para celebrar o lendário Eusébio, o Pantera Negra. Agarra já a tua! 👕🇵🇹
🔗 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗶́𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗲𝗺 👉 https://t.co/ikBvVapq65#PortugalStore | @pumafootball pic.twitter.com/oS5VelPbsg
The material is imbued with a subtle repeating shield pattern that features the crest used by the Portuguese football federation between 1914 and 1966, the year in which Eusébio and his teammates finished third at the FIFA World Cup in England, the report added.
Who was Eusébio?
Widely regarded as one of football's greatest players, Eusébio da Silva Ferreira was born in Portuguese Mozambique and rose to prominence after joining Benfica in 1961, where he spent the next 14 years. During his peak years, he scored an astounding 473 goals in 440 official matches, winning 11 Portuguese league titles and five Portuguese Cups. On the European stage, he was instrumental in Benfica's 1962 European Cup victory, scoring twice in the 5-3 final win against Real Madrid, and he later won the European Golden Boot twice (1968 & 1973).
Eusébio's exceptional talent was recognised globally when he won the Ballon d’Or as the best player in the world in 1965. Internationally, he led Portugal to their best-ever finish at the time, securing third place at the 1966 FIFA World Cup while finishing as the tournament's top scorer with nine goals. His most legendary World Cup performance was the quarter-final against North Korea, where he single-handedly fueled a spectacular 5-3 comeback victory by scoring four goals after his team had fallen behind 0–3. He passed away in 2014, aged 71.
How to buy the new Portugal kit?
The fans edition of the said kit is now available online in Puma Store. CLICK HERE TO BUY Portugal 25/26 Special Edition Men's Jersey in India.
