When it comes to Portugal, you can always expect the discussion to be centered around Cristiano Ronaldo in the leadup for an important fixture. But following the thumping victory over Switzerland in the Round of 16, it was the superstar’s replacement who stole the limelight. Coach Fernando Santos made the courageous call by dropping CR7 from the starting lineup and replacing him with Gonzalo Ramos. But the young man’s exploits even exceeded his manager’s expectations. So here are our player ratings for Portugal who booked their place in the World Cup Quarterfinals with a 6-1 victory over the hapless Switzerland.
Portugal (4-3-1-2)
Diogo Costa – 6
A smooth evening for the Porto goalkeeper. He did well to deny Shaqiri’s freekick, but could do little about the goal he conceded.
Diogo Dalot – 7.5
A superb performance from the former Milan man who keeps improving with every fresh outing. Easily won his duel against Vargas, made some vital interceptions at the back, and provided the assist for Ramos’ second goal.
Pepe – 7
The ageless captain made history by becoming the oldest player to score in a World Cup playoff fixture. Solid outing.
Ruben Dias – 7
The Man City defender frustrated Breel Embolo with his rough treatment while managing to limit his danger.
Raphael Guerreiro – 7.5
The BVB fullback didn’t always burst forward, but his occasional ventures were more than enough to inflict the damage. Scored a splendid goal and provided the assist for Leao’s strike.
Otavio – 6.5
A quiet evening from the Porto midfielder who was happy to play a secondary role while his teammates ran the show.
William Carvalho – 7
The no-nonsense defensive midfielder controlled the middle of the park, winning the majority of his duels and pushing his teammates forward.
Bernardo Silva – 6
Not a bad outing from the Man City man by any means, but we expected him to be more involved in the Portugal carnival.
Bruno Fernandes – 7.5
The Man United playmaker orchestrated the play and provided the assist for Pepe’s header from a corner kick. An influential display for sure.
Goncalo Ramos – 9.5
This was arguably the best personal performance thus far in the 2022 World Cup. The hattrick hero displayed his wide array of weapons with three different yet equally spectacular goals, while also adding an assist to his name.
Joao Felix – 8
The Atletico Madrid star produced a vibrant display, providing two wonderful assists for Ramos.
Read Our Player Ratings for Switzerland
Substitutes
Cristiano Ronaldo – 6
Although it was already a settled affair when he entered the pitch, the legendary striker had a chip on the shoulder after being dropped from the starting lineup. He did put the ball in Sommer’s net, but was beaten by the offside trap.
Ricardo Horta – 5.5
A minimal impact from the Braga winger who didn’t leave his mark on the match.
Vitinha – 6
The PSG midfielder kept the ball ticking in the middle of the park.
Ruben Neves – 6
The Wolves midfielder had an easy mission as the Swiss had already submitted by the time he entered the pitch.
Rafael Leao – 7
The Serie A MVP might be the forgotten man in the Portugal squad, but his short cameo was enough for him to remind the world of his mere existence with a marquee curler towards the top corner.
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