Not many followers of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar expected the Portuguese national team to overtake Switzerland in the final price of the World Cup with such a result, which was the widest in the eight matches of the round of 16, and the glow of striker Gonzalo Ramos contributed to an easier-than-expected qualification for his country, after To take advantage - in the best way - of his first participation in the World Cup;
To score three hat-tricks in one match, which has not been achieved in 20 years.
Last Tuesday evening, and in the last round of the final price of the World Cup in Qatar, the Portuguese national team swept its Swiss counterpart, 6-1, to set a date with Morocco, in the quarter-finals, next Saturday.
The promising striker of Portuguese club Benfica Ramos scored 3 goals, while the veteran Pepe, Rafael Guerrero and Rafael Leao scored a goal each, and Akanji saved the face of the Swiss national team by scoring the goal of honor.
A name immersed in Ronaldo's shadow
Before Portugal's 6-0 victory over Switzerland, only a few fans would have heard of Gonzalo Ramos, but after his hat-trick and assist it became very hard for them to forget the young Benfica striker, who replaced Cristiano Ronaldo, and Ramos himself in those days. Match never.
Portugal coach Fernando Santos, with Cristiano Ronaldo behind him on the bench (Reuters)
In a brave and daring move that turned into a brilliant strike from the coach, Fernando Santos left his captain, Cristiano Ronaldo - 5-time Ballon d'Or winner - on the bench, and gave the 21-year-old player, nicknamed "The Magician" - the opportunity to participate in the starting line-up for the first time, and did not He did not know that this technical decision would enable the striker to write his name in golden letters in the annals of the World Cup.
Ramos - born on June 20, 2001 in the city of Olhao - made a remarkable performance, firmly establishing his credentials in the Portugal national team as an ideal replacement for Don Ronaldo, who started the fifth World Cup in his career in a turbulent manner, by scoring a single goal from a penalty kick against Ghana. .
Ramos did not hope for a more magical night in the World Cup in Qatar, than the night in which Lusail Stadium was the scene of it, as he played his first international match only 3 days before the start of the World Cup, when coach Santos entered him in the 66th minute of the preparatory match for Portugal against Nigeria, Even in that match, his beginnings were very promising, as it was only 16 minutes after his entry that he scored a goal and made another in the match that ended (4-0), and witnessed - also - the absence of Ronaldo.
During the first three matches of Portugal in the first round of the World Cup in Qatar, Ramos participated for only 12 minutes in total matches, specifically against Ghana (3 minutes) and Uruguay (9 minutes), while he needed to be on the bench against South Korea.
But Fernando Santos decided to risk a young striker in a strong and decisive match, and suddenly inserted Ramos into the starting line-up, and the result was a more flexible attack than in previous matches, as Joao Felix and Bruno Fernandez played more freely than usual, and after every attacking move was Portuguese - over the years. Ends with Ronaldo, the attacking line against Switzerland turned out to be more unpredictable.
And the start was from a wonderful through ball from Felix that reached Ramos, who never wavered as he put the ball into the net from a very narrow angle, only to make Swiss goalkeeper Jan Soumer look at it as she shook his own net.
And from another touch on the near post, Ramos scored his second goal, but he was not satisfied with that, but completed the hat-trick with a well-timed shot from the top of the head of goalkeeper Zomer.
In between, the promising striker managed to provide an assist for Rafael Guerrero, to score the fourth goal.
An unforgettable evening
Ramos does not seem to have muscles like Ronaldo, and he does not play constantly in attack like the captain of Portugal, but he imposed himself as a man for the closing match of the final price round, and with a silky and quick touch, he confused the Swiss defenders, and posed a constant threat to their regions.
As thousands of fans at Lusail Stadium repeatedly chanted "Ronaldo, Ronaldo", hoping to see the star feature in the match, Ramos became the first player to score a hat-trick on his World Cup debut since Germany's Miroslav Klose 20 years earlier.
And after Ramos’ comrades actually decided the match and set a date with Morocco in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, Ronaldo – 37 years old – came on as a substitute in the 66th minute – but the new Portuguese champion, Ramos, had kidnapped all the lights, and ignited the enthusiasm of the Portuguese fans after a wonderful show and unparalleled performance. is forgotten.
Ramos began his football career in 2009 at the age of only 8 years, in “Olhanense”, the team that is located in the hometown of the young striker, the city of Olhao, and there he refined his football talent before moving to “Louis” club in 2011.
In 2013, he moved to Portuguese club Benfica - one of the three largest clubs in the country - and progressed through the youth ranks until he reached the first team in the summer of 2020, when on July 21 of the same year he played the first professional match in his career, in the Portuguese league against Club Deportivo Avish.