The 21-year-old Ramos, who began as an alternative of Ronaldo, turned the youngest participant to strike 3 times in a World Cup knockout match since Pele in 1958.
Portugal ahead Goncalo Ramos celebrates scoring his staff’s fifth objective, his hat-trick, through the Qatar 2022 World Cup spherical of 16 soccer match between Portugal and Switzerland at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, north of Doha on 6 December 2022. Picture: Jewel SAMAD/AFP
DOHA – Goncalo Ramos justified the shock resolution to drop Cristiano Ronaldo by scoring a hat-trick on his full debut as Portugal demolished Switzerland 6-1 on Tuesday to energy into the World Cup quarter-finals.
The 21-year-old Ramos, who began as an alternative of Ronaldo, turned the youngest participant to strike 3 times in a World Cup knockout match since Pele in 1958.
Pepe, Raphael Guerreiro and Rafael Leao have been additionally on course for a rampant Portugal, who booked a showdown with Morocco on Saturday for a spot within the final 4 in Qatar.
“I think not even in my wildest dreams had I thought about being part of the starting XI for the knockout phase,” mentioned Ramos, who solely made his Portugal debut in a pre-tournament pleasant final month.
Switzerland, who had been hoping to reach a primary quarter-final since internet hosting the 1954 World Cup, exited within the final 16 for the third time in a row.
“Defeat is painful. We are sad about how we played, about the result. We wanted to make our country happy but we didn’t manage to achieve that,” mentioned Switzerland coach Murat Yakin.
Ronaldo, 37 and now and not using a membership after his departure from Manchester United, has hogged the headlines through the match whereas trying a shadow of his former self.
The solely man to rating at 5 World Cups, Ronaldo was omitted by coach Fernando Santos in opposition to the Swiss following his indignant response to being substituted within the final group recreation.
Santos later mentioned the choice to bench the Portugal star had been “strategic and nothing more”, unrelated to his substitution in opposition to South Korea.
“I said that it was closed and it was closed,” Santos mentioned.
It was a daring name to omit a participant with a file 118 worldwide targets in favour of giving a primary begin to Ramos, the Benfica striker who had performed simply 33 minutes throughout three earlier appearances.
INSTANT IMPACT
But it took simply 17 minutes for Ramos to reward Santos’ religion, and to obtain one thing Ronaldo has by no means achieved – rating in a World Cup knockout recreation.
Joao Felix clipped delicately into the ft of Ramos, who shortly swivelled previous Fabian Schaer and rifled into the roof of the web previous a surprised Yann Sommer.
Otavio, who returned to the Portugal midfield after harm of their opening match, shot straight at Sommer earlier than Ramos did likewise moments later.
Xherdan Shaqiri drew a fingertip cease from Diogo Costa with a dipping free-kick from distance, however Portugal quickly had their second.
Bruno Fernandes whipped in a nook and the 39-year-old Pepe towered above the Swiss defence to powerfully head dwelling.
Diogo Dalot hacked Remo Freuler’s header off the road after Diogo Costa failed to correctly cope with a cross, however the Swiss merely had no solutions in opposition to an irresistible Portugal.
Ramos turned in his second from shut vary six minutes into the second half from Dalot’s cross down the best.
He then turned supplier by enjoying in Guerreiro to lash in one other simply 4 minutes later as the Swiss defence was ruthlessly ripped aside.
It was additionally Ramos who inadvertently glanced a nook in direction of Manuel Akanji on the far submit as the Manchester City centre-back pulled one again for Switzerland.
Ramos accomplished his treble after extra excellent work from Felix, nonchalantly dinking over Sommer with one in every of his last touches earlier than making approach for Ronaldo.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s introduction elicited the most important roar of the evening. Ronaldo did have the ball behind the web nevertheless it was dominated out for a transparent offside.
Leao capped off a sensational Portugal efficiency with a terrific curling strike in stoppage time.