World Cup

IT had been a seriously ballsy call from Portugal boss Fernando Santos.By benching Cristiano Ronaldo, he was risking tantrums, accusations of disrespect and the prospect of a bombshell interview with whoever the Portuguese Piers Morgan might be. 
Goncalo Ramos’ treble fired Portugal to the World Cup quartersCredit: Getty
Ramos filled Cristiano Ronaldo’s boots well in a 6-1 win over SwitzerlandCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
And yet, just as Erik Ten Hag has found at Manchester United, dropping Ronaldo can be a thoroughly invigorating course of action for any team these days. 
Santos replaced his stroppy old Galactico with 21-year-old Benfica striker Goncalo Ramos – then saw the inexperienced youngster bag a magnificent hat-trick to set up a World Cup quarter-final against Morocco. 
Ramos – remember the name and crank up those Premier League transfer rumours – thundered an early opener, added a sharp second to kill off the game and added a saucy third for the first treble of this World Cup on his first international start. 
With the five-time Ballon d’Or winner sacked by United and seemingly on his way to Saudi club Al-Nassr, it begged the question – ‘will we ever see him start an elite game of football again?’   
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Ramos’ stats against Switzerland
Ronaldo, at his fifth World Cup, has never scored in the knock-out stage but his understudy did so within an extraordinary finish after just 17 minutes.
Portugal looked a far better side without their fading diva – just as United did when Ten Hag dropped him after a 4-0 mauling at Brentford in August.
And Santos clearly has a gem in Ramos, while Atletico Madrid’s Joao Felix was also outstanding. 
By the time Ronaldo arrived as a sub – to the shrillest cheer of the night in the Lusail Stadium – Portugal were long since home and hosed. 
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Ramos saw plenty of action against Switzerland
Ramos opened the scoring for Portugal after just 17 minutesCredit: Getty
Pepe soon doubled his side’s lead against the SwissCredit: PA
At least Ronaldo didn’t refuse to come off the bench to see out the game, as he had done when United defeated Tottenham earlier this season, before those egotistical rantings to Morgan saw his contract torn up.
But Portugal are serious contenders to win the tournament at this stadium on Sunday week and will certainly be red-hot favourites to defeat the Moroccans this weekend.
Switzerland were supposed to be cussed, obdurate opponents but the Portuguese tore them to ticker tape.      
An hour or so before kick-off came the resounding double shock – Morocco defeating Spain on penalties, just as it was announced that Santos had benched Ronaldo. 
It was the first time he had not started a meaningful tournament game for Portugal since he was a teenager at Euro 2004. 
Portugal showed off a clinical edge
Ramos fired in another just minutes into the second halfCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Raphael Guerreiro joined in the fun moments laterCredit: Reuters
But after he had thrown a strop when substituted in the final group game against South Korea, there had been widespread support back home for such a move and Ramos got the nod. 
Rather than the expected sulky face, Ronaldo smiled for the cameras during the national anthems – and soon he was painting on that grin for a series of Portuguese goals.
The early tempo was soporific, a frankly-weird crowd already resorting to Mexican waves and Icelandic thunderclaps – and then, out of nowhere, ‘wallop’.
Raphael Guerreiro took a throw-in, Felix swivelled and fed Ramos down the inside-left channel, the youngster turned Fabian Schar and leathered into the roof of the net, beating Yann Sommer at his near post from a seemingly impossible angle. 
Ramos might have had a second soon after – released by a delicious Felix pass, he created space against Schar but shot straight at Sommer. 
Switzerland quickly pulled one back through Manuel AkanjiCredit: Reuters
Ramos put the result beyond doubt as he completed his hat-trick in the 67th minuteCredit: Reuters
But on 34 minutes, Portugal doubled their lead when the old rogue Pepe met a corner with a fantastic leap above Manchester City’s Manuel Akanji and thudded home his header. 
The former Real Madrid defender will be 40 in February but nobody was doubting the spring in his step. 
There was a scare for the Portuguese soon after when keeper Diogo Costa flapped at a low cross and a Remo Freuler effort was hacked away from the line by Diogo Dalot.
Ramos had a shot pushed away by a fully-stretched Sommer but soon after the break, he had his second.
Dalot skewered Ruben Vargas and centred low for Ramos to pounce at the near post with a crisp finish. 
Portugal were rampant and, almost immediately, it was four – this time with Ramos as the provider. 
Felix threaded him a pass and Ramos pirouetted round his marker and fed Guerreiro, who thundered his shot into the roof of the net.  
Rafael Leao came off the bench to score at the deathCredit: Reuters
Impressive Portugal will play Morocco in the quartersCredit: Getty
There was another ‘assist’ for Ramos soon after when he inadvertently flicked on a Xherdan Shaqiri corner for Akanji to pull one back for the Swiss, poking home at the far post. 
Ramos hardly needed to make amends for this, but he did so anyway.
From another artful Felix ball, Ramos actually took a poor first touch but his second was a filthy little dink over Sommer for the hat-trick. 
After that, the kid made way for Ronaldo and a crowd made up largely of locals and tourists performed a passable impression of peak Beatlemania. 
Ronaldo soon sprinted through and fired into the net but was miles offside.
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And it was another sub, Rafael Leao, who completed this gubbing with an eye-pleasing curler.  
He is yesterday’s man. Portugal can win this thing without him.  More

BAFFLED fans were left in stitches as Nigel de Jong claimed Zinedine Zidane left football “gracefully”.The former Dutch midfielder, 38, covered Portugal’s World Cup last-16 clash with Switzerland with ITV.
Nigel De Jong claimed Zinedine Zidane bowed out of football “gracefully”Credit: ITV
The Frenchman headbutted Marco Materazzi in his final appearance as a pro playerCredit: BBC
But as the pundits discussed unemployed 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo being left on the bench, the conversation switched to the end of great players’ careers.
And that prompted De Jong to reflect on the way Zidane bowed out.
The ex-Manchester City man, runner-up with Holland in 2010, said: “You must go out in a gracious way.
“We see it from legends of the past, like Zidane, they go out in a gracious way.”
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But fans wasted no time in pointing out the final act of Zidane’s stunning career was in the 2006 World Cup final.
The 1998 winner reacted to a comment from Italy’s Marco Materazzi and headbutted him in the chest – warranting a red card.
One viewer said: “Nigel de Jong has just said that Zidane left the stage ‘in a gracious way’. Marco Materazzi might disagree.”
Another wrote: “Nigel de Jong just said Zidane left the game gracefully. I suppose the headbutt did have a perfect flowing technique.”
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A third added: “I’m sure Zidane head-butted someone on his way out.”
And a final user commented: “Has De Jong really just said Zidane left in a gracious way? Could’ve sworn his last moment in football was smashing his head into someone’s chest.”
Ronaldo was benched by Portugal boss Fernando Santos against Switzerland.
It was unclear if the snub was due to his age, poor form or alleged comments when he was brought off against South Korea.
But despite having a face of thunder before kick-off, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was outwardly smiling when his replacement Goncalo Ramos scored a sublime hat-trick.
Nigel de Jong on Cristiano Ronaldo:🗣️ “You must go out in a gracious way. We see it from legends of the past, like Zidane, they go out in a gracious way.” Zinedine Zidane’s final game… pic.twitter.com/LJ8wK6vNO4— Dream Team (@dreamteamfc) December 6, 2022 More

FANS were left in disbelief as Achraf Hakimi dumped Spain out of the World Cup with an outrageous Panenka penalty.The Morocco star stepped up to take a crunch spot-kick for his country in today’s World Cup last-16 tie.
Achraf Hakimi sent Morocco to their first World Cup quarter-final with a winning Panenka penaltyCredit: Getty
Hakimi performed a hilarious penguin celebration as he dumped Spain out of the tournamentCredit: AP
Hakimi, who was born in Spain but chose to play for his parents’ nation, confidently slotted home to send Morocco to their first-ever quarter-finals.
And he even celebrated with an incredible ‘penguin’ dance before being mobbed by teammates.
Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe was the first to congratulate Hakimi, posting emojis of a penguin and a crown on Twitter.
Piers Morgan then hailed the right-back’s calmness on the big stage, adding: “To pull a panenka at THAT moment, under THAT pressure… wow… coolest dude in world football.”
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And football fans were equally gracious as they praised Hakimi’s stunning piece of skill.
One declared: “He has got nerves of steel! Man just did a panenka to win it for them!”
Another said: “Hakimi dumping out the country of his birth, imagine that pressure and responsibility.”
One noted: “Can’t get better than this honestly.”
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Another added: “Legendary stuff, GOATed.”
Former England star Joe Cole was full of praise for Hakimi afterwards, saying on ITV: “To do that, he’s show there, he’s just gone wallop, sat him down and said ‘we’re going to the quarters’.”
Cole added: “It’s a real honour and privilege to be here in front of all these Morocco fans and the emotion is palpable.
“This is why we love football. I said before the shootout, they were heroes whatever happened, but football is about moments.
“I’ve never taken a penalty, certainly not at this level. Unbelievable. I just can’t believe this, my eyes keep getting drawn towards the fans and the party going on.
“I don’t know when it’s going to stop tonight.” More

NO Cristiano Ronaldo? No problem, as his 21-year-old replacement Goncalo Ramos scored a hat-trick in Portugal’s 6-1 World Cup knockout win over Switzerland.The 819 career-goal man, 37, was dropped for Portugal’s World Cup round of 16 tie against the Swiss after enduring a torrid group stage campaign.

Ramos found the back of the net from a tight angleCredit: Reuters
The 21-year-old replaced the sulking veteranCredit: PA
Ronaldo celebrated the goal with his Portugal team-matesCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun
Ronaldo netted just one goal, and it came from the penalty spot in the 3-2 win over Ghana.
He then tried to claim Bruno Fernandes’ opener in the 2-0 win over Uruguay.
And in Portugal’s final group game, Ronaldo played a part in South Korea’s equaliser, turning his back while defending a corner, which then fell to Kim Young-gwon.
Ronaldo was pulled off early in the second half and replaced by Andre Silva, which saw the five-time Ballon d’Or winner start to sulk – resulting in Euro 2016-winning boss Fernando Santos dropping him.
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He was replaced by Benfica ace Ramos and it took the young forward just 17 minutes into the game to find the back of the net in his first World Cup start.
Ramos was found by Joao Felix and he managed to sneak a powerful effort in at Switzerland’s near post.
Ronaldo did make sure to run to the corner flag to celebrate with Ramos and Co, though.
And to rub salt into the wounds further, Ramos has now scored a World Cup knockout goal BEFORE five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo.
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Ramos scored three from five shots on target
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Ronaldo hasn’t managed to find the back of the net in 514 minutes of World Cup knockout football.
Veteran Pepe, 39, took up the captain’s armband and also got on the scoresheet in Ronaldo’s absence to send Portugal in at half-time with a two-goal lead.
Portugal came out for the second half swinging for the fences and Ramos got his second of the night and Raphael Guerreiro added a fourth before Manuel Akanji pulled one back for Switzerland.
Ramos then completed his hat-trick with a clever dink into the back of the net and was replaced by Ronaldo in the 72nd minute.
Rafael Leao then pushed Ronaldo further down the pecking order, scoring Portugal’s sixth in added-time.
A quarter-final date with Morocco awaits.
Ramos completed his hat-trick with a clever dinkCredit: AP
Ramos has booked a starting spot for the quarter-final against MoroccoCredit: AP
Ramos was clinical in the final third More

GEORGINA RODRIGUEZ was seen smiling in the stands during Portugal’s World Cup clash with Switzerland – despite her partner Cristiano Ronaldo being dropped from the Portugal team.She was seen in the Lusali Stadium wearing a black dress and jacket while holding a luxury handbag.
Georgina Rodriguez came to support Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal took on SwitzerlandCredit: PA
But Georgina did not see Ronaldo from the start as he was on the benchCredit: EPA
Georgina will be hoping her partner comes on or it could be a wasted trip for the ArgentineCredit: Getty
Cristiano Ronaldo looked forlorn amongst the subsCredit: Getty
Georgina had a shock when she arrived at the stadium as Ronaldo was named on the substitutes bench after he was replaced in the team by Goncalo Ramos for the last-16 World Cup clash with Switzerland.
It comes after Ronaldo’s falling out with manager Fernando Santos.
The boss subbed him off against South Korea and the 37-year-old appeared to sulk muttering under his breath.
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Santos revealed that he was unhappy with the 194-cap star saying: “Yes, I didn’t like it, not at all. I didn’t like it. I really didn’t like it.”
Ronaldo has netted just once at the World Cup so far, converting a controversially won penalty in the 3-2 victory over Ghana.
He believed he had scored another but Fifa awarded the goal against Uruguay to Bruno Fernandes as they deemed that Ronaldo had not touched it.

The former Manchester United man continues to make the headlines since his explosive interview with Piers Morgan that led to him departing Old Trafford.
Ronaldo is currently without a club but has been heavily linked with Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
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Meanwhile, his long-term girlfriend Georgina has been enjoying the sun in Qatar.
The 28-year-old relaxed on the beach before taking their children to the stadium for the previous game against South Korea.
Prior to the big match tonight versus the Swiss, she posed for photos in the dessert and Ronaldo met up his partner a couple of days ago as Georgina posted snaps of them cuddling.
Georgina Rodriguez spent some time in the desert in QatarCredit: Instagram @georginagio
She posed in stylish sunglassesCredit: Instagram @georginagio
The model attended Portugal’s defeat to South KoreaCredit: Instagram / @georginagio
Georgina Rodriguez headed to the beach in QatarCredit: Instagram / @georginagio More

GARY NEVILLE had the last laugh as Spain crashed out of the World Cup.The 2010 champions were unable to break down Morocco in 120 minutes of football.
Spain were dumped out of the World Cup on penalties against MoroccoCredit: Reuters
Gary Neville said before the tournament the Spanish team “lacks goals”Credit: ITV
They had an utter nightmare in the shootout as they missed all three of their efforts to be sent packing by the Atlas Lions.
And the performance ensured Neville was belatedly vindicated for his pre-tournament predictions.
The Manchester United legend boldly declared Spain’s team “have no goals in them” before their Qatar 2022 opener against Costa Rica.
He was left a little red-faced, though, as Luis Enrique’s men smashed seven goals past their helpless opponents.
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Afterwards, Neville doubled down on his claim and said: “We can’t just measure Spain at all off that.
“I think we will be proved right!”
And the stats in the goalless draw with Morocco before the shootout exit backed Neville up.
Spain, who scored once against Germany and then one past Japan, managed 13 shots against Morocco and racked up a simply staggering 1,019 passes – Rodri got 206 on his own.
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But even with eight corners and 77 per cent of the ball, Spain mustered a meagre one shot on target and failed to threaten Yassine Bounou’s goal.
Late sub Pablo Sarabia had a glorious chance to win the last-16 clash in injury time of extra-time.
But his side-foot volley shaved the far post – his next touch also hit the upright as he missed his penalty.
Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets both saw their efforts saved by Bounou before Madrid-born Achraf Hakimi kept his cool to dink a delicious Panenka down the middle and send Morocco through.

And fans on Twitter were quick to laud Neville for his expert analysis.
One said: “Remember when Gary Neville said that Spain lacked firepower and everyone laughed at him.”
Another wrote: “So turns out Gary Neville was spot on about Spain and a lack of goals… even from 12 yards!”
And a third added: “It’s actually scary how accurate Gary Neville was in saying Spain has no goals.”

Pablo Sarabia could not hit the target with his penalty from 12 yardsCredit: AP More