Portuguese press highlights ‘chocolate’ against Swiss and absence of CR7

Biggest rout of the round of 16 in Qatar, Portugal’s 6-1 victory against Switzerland left the Portuguese press excited. But in addition to celebrating the triumph, the newspapers highlighted the absence of the team’s main name in the starting lineup. Cristiano Ronaldo started on the bench and only entered when the game was defined, in the 29th minute of the second half.

With three goals, Gonçalo Ramos was the name of the selection, which faces Morocco for a place in the semifinal.

“What a chocolate for Wednesdays”, joked the sports newspaper A Bola, remembering the tradition of the rival country with the delicacy. “Portugal’s performance was fantastic. They beat Switzerland, with three goals from Gonçalo Ramos and everything, on the day that Cristiano Ronaldo was substitute”, wrote the newspaper. The vehicle drew attention to CR7’s closed face, “but greeted his teammates”.

In the also sports O Jogo, the headline was “Portugal trumps Switzerland and sets up meeting with Morocco in the quarterfinals”. For the vehicle, the performance of the team, which is back among the eight in the Cup after 16 years, was perfect. “In an irreproachable collective performance, Gonçalo Ramos was the highlight, signing a hat-trick. Sixteen years later, the team is again among the eight best teams in the world.”

The newspaper also echoed comments made by coach Fernando Santos after the match, when he said that Gonçalo and Ronaldo “are different players”.

“Portugal thrashes and stamps passage to the quarterfinals”, highlighted the newspaper Público. In another more analytical text, he titled that it was “the day Portugal decided to give itself to youth”, calling attention to the performance of Gonçalo Ramos, who scored 3 goals in the game. The text also asks a question about the future of the selection in the World Cup: “And now, how to call Ronaldo to the ‘eleven’?”

Excited, Record put in the title: “Magical display of Portugal and Gonçalo Ramos in a historic rout”. Among several headlines dedicated to the selection on the front page of the newspaper’s website, one of them called attention to an image: “Banco de Portugal was ‘flooded’ with photographers because of Ronaldo and Fernando Santos didn’t like it”.

Normally more sober, Diário de Notícias highlighted in the title the classification for the quarterfinals with the “hero” Gonçalo Ramos. But it also highlighted the absence of the greatest idol. “The game was marked by the decision of Fernando Santos, who left Cristiano Ronaldo on the substitute bench, and bet on Gonçalo Ramos from the start.”