Goncalo Ramos Scores First Hattrick of 2022 World Cup, Breaks Several More Records

21-year-old Goncalo Ramos was the star of the show for Portugal, scoring the first hattrick of the 2022 World Cup against Switzerland in the Round of 16 encounter on Tuesday. Replacing Portuguese talisman, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ramos became the first player to score a hattrick on his first World Cup start since Miroslav Klose for Germany in 2002.

He also became the youngest man to score a hattrick in a FIFA World Cup knock out match after Pele as well as the first man to score a hattrick in a World Cup knockout game since 1990.

His first goal came out of nowhere, as Ramos took a smart touch down the right-hand side of the box to play the ball into his path, and despite a tight angle, smashed the ball past Yann Sommer’s near post into the roof of the net. For his second goal, Dalot found space down the right after getting past his marker and fizzed a grounded cross, cleverly flicked between the legs of Sommer by Ramos.

For his hattrick, Bernardo Silva’s won the ball high up the pitch which was picked up by Joao Felix whose clever through ball was met with an even cleverer finish by Ramos, dinking it over Sommer.

Ronaldo entered the match as a substitute in the 72nd minute to loud cheers, though Portugal had the game wrapped up by then with defenders Pepe and Raphael Guerreiro also scoring. Rafael Leao added a late goal in stoppage time.

Manuel Akanji scored for Switzerland. Portugal advanced to the quarterfinals for the third time, after 1966 and 2006, and will play Morocco on Saturday. Portugal coach Fernando Santos now has to decide whether to stick with Ramos or restore Ronaldo, the top scorer in men’s international soccer and one of the game’s greatest ever players.

Source:- The Indian Express