Before the contest, rumours were circulating. It was supported by a report from a Portuguese-language media site. They were undoubtedly incorrect, though. Surely it was merely someone’s overactive imagination who had become overexcited by Fernando Santos’ words before to the game? Next, at 11:14 IST, the tweet appeared. To win the series, four wickets were needed in the fifth and final T20.
Against Switzerland, Portugal will start Diogo Costa. Dalot, Diogo Pepe. Robert Dias Michael R John Carvalho. Otavio. Brazilian Fernandes Robert Silva. Goncalo Ramos… Joao Felix The news that Cristiano Ronaldo had been benched was announced one hour and 16 minutes prior to the start of Tuesday’s second game.
Portugal have not triumphed in a World Cup knockout match since 2006. Everybody was watching the last round-of-16 match of 2022. High-pressure was an understatement for it. Still, there we were. To put what we witnessed on the Lusail stadium field into perspective, it is important to keep in mind how horrible Portugal has been to watch over the previous 15 years.
Given that this era fell during the heyday of one of the greatest football players in history, it has been especially upsetting. The fact that Portugal was a different team without him on the field is now almost as startling. The obvious comes first. To put it bluntly, Goncalo Ramos was amazing.
The Ronaldo substitute, a 21-year-old who was starting for Portugal for the first time EVER, scored the kinds of goals Ronaldo used to score so frequently. At the near post, there was a swivel and an unanticipated explosion through the roof. A quick dash in front of the defender, with a brilliant flip to tuck the ball away.
Running behind the final player to go one-on-one and cheekily tipping the ball just over the approaching goalie. Ramos was the youngest (men’s) hat-trick scorer in a World Cup knockout game since some Brazilian youngster by the name of Edson Arantes de Nascimento. Santos had taken a huge risk by starting Ramos in a game of this significance.
Portugal played the type of fast-paced, quick-passing, fluid-position game that purists dream of with Ramos at the head of the line. Ramos’ tenacity, intellect, and running made the game more difficult and provided room for the trio of Joao Felix, Bernardo Silva, and Bruno Fernandes to follow.
We hadn’t yet witnessed the three players’ complete technical prowess working together, but when it did, the football performed as most expected. Pepe, who was captain in place of his great comrade, was a terrifying presence and slammed one home from a corner. A move by Raphael Guerreiro that was incredibly quick and simple was set up by Ramos’ selfless first-time touch around the corner.