As Cristiano's star dims, Ramos lights up big stage

LUSAIL, Qatar — In his first start for Portugal's national team, Goncalo Ramos showed that he has the goods — and the goals — to stand in for Cristiano Ronaldo.

Even at the World Cup.

The 21-year-old forward scored a hat-trick on Tuesday after being called on to start against Switzerland in place of Ronaldo, the men's record holder for most international goals. Portugal won the match 6-1 and advanced to the quarterfinals for the third time.

"Not even in my wildest dreams did I think about being part of the starting team for the knockout stage," Ramos said through a translator after being named player of the match.

Those three goals, and the smoking pistols goal celebration, instantly made Ramos one of the sport's hottest prospects.

Morocco, which will next play Portugal on Saturday for a spot in the semifinals, may not have known anything about Ramos before Tuesday. That has certainly changed.

Ramos had never played for Portugal before being selected in the World Cup squad last month. He was given the No 26 shirt in the 26-man squad and played for only a few minutes as a late substitute in Portugal's group wins over Ghana and Uruguay. He had zero attempts on goal in those games.

"Most people in the world had never heard about him until today," Portugal midfielder Bruno Fernandes said.

The first hint that Ronaldo's place might be at risk came Monday. Portugal coach Fernando Santos vented his frustration with his longtime star's body language after being replaced in a 2-1 loss to South Korea on Friday.

Sure enough, 80 minutes before the start of the match at Lusail Stadium, Ronaldo's name was missing from the starting lineup. Ramos was his replacement.

The final result made Santos look more like a mad genius than a madman.

Ramos scored early, giving his team the lead in the 17th minute. Passes then started flowing, attacks came in waves and consumed the Swiss opposition, leaving them seemingly unable to track the speed and mobility of playmakers like Fernandes, Joao Felix and Bernardo Silva.

Ramos was at the center of it all.

"Goncalo is more dynamic," Santos said through a translator. "Cristiano currently is a player who is more fixed and plays in a more determined area."

Ramos linked easily with a group of teammates he has barely played with, ghosting in at the near post to poke the ball in from close range for his second goal, and the team's third, soon after halftime.

He created the fourth goal with a pass to Raphael Guerreiro and then completed his hat-trick with a deft flick over onrushing Switzerland goalkeeper Yann Sommer in the 67th minute.

Seven minutes later, Ronaldo came off the bench and replaced Ramos on the field.

They next met in the center circle after the final whistle, the established star hugging his potential successor. Ramos was holding the match ball, the usual gift for a player who scores three goals.

The first hat-trick at this year's World Cup was only the fifth in the past three tournaments. One of those came from Ronaldo four years ago, when he was 33, in a 3-3 group-stage draw with Spain.

When Ramos returns to play for Benfica in the Portuguese league, he will no longer be under anybody's radar.

Yet clues were there when the young forward stepped up a level this season to replace Darwin Nunez, now at Liverpool after another big-money sale by the Lisbon club. Led by goals from Ramos, Benfica is unbeaten both in Portugal and in the Champions League.

"It's because people are not aware of the quality in the Portuguese league," Fernandes said. "I think people should be aware of Goncalo and his qualities."

Boyhood idol

Ramos revealed that Ronaldo was one of his boyhood idols and praised the 37-year-old for his support.

"Cristiano as our captain did what he always does," he said. "He helped us and he encouraged us — not only me but all of my teammates."

Portugal will now turn its focus to Saturday's quarterfinal against Morocco at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha. It will be the European team's first appearance in the last eight of the World Cup since 2006.

"We shouldn't think too much about the result of this match because it will be a new game against Morocco that will start 0-0," Ramos said.

"We have to take things one game at a time and focus 100 percent on Morocco without thinking about anything else."

Santos claimed his decision to start with Ronaldo on the bench had nothing to do with the 37-year-old's attitude.

"We played well and it gives a lot of confidence," Santos said. "But I told the players not to be too excited and euphoric. We have to be careful not to have too much fun because you can make things more complicated. I don't think that happened tonight and I don't want it to."

'Important player'

In his prematch news conference, Santos said he was unhappy with Ronaldo's expletive-laden outburst when substituted in the 2-1 defeat to South Korea last Friday.

But the former Greece national team manager said the issue had now been dealt with.

"Those issues have been resolved," Santos said. "We have to look at (Ronaldo's) history and what he's achieved. He's one of the best players ever to play the game.

"I have a close relationship with him and that relationship has only developed. We've never mixed the human relationship with the one between player and manager. I will always consider him as a very important player."

When asked if Ronaldo could return to the starting lineup against Morocco, Santos replied: "Cristiano will be among 24 players participating. If they don't start, they will be on the bench and can be brought on."

Agencies