Fernando Santos:
A clearly pissed off Ronaldo carried out dreadfully throughout the group stage, culminating in him disrespecting Santos whereas leaving the sphere towards South Korea. His relegation to the bench was wholly justified, each from a sporting and disciplinary perspective. However this was nonetheless a colossal name by the coach. That is Ronaldo we’re speaking about. He is one of many all-time greats. He is not simply the Selecao skipper – he is been their talisman for properly over a decade, and so usually their saviour. Had this gone incorrect, Santos would have been slated by not simply Portugal’s quite a few Ronaldo supporters, but in addition the world’s. Nonetheless, Santos bought it spot on. It wasn’t simply that Ramos scored a hat-trick, it was the truth that Portugal carried out with far better freedom, fluidity and efficiency with out the worldwide sport’s all-time document goalscorer. In ditching Ronaldo, Santos seems to have set his crew free.
Goncalo Ramos:
It mustn’t get misplaced in all the controversy brought on by Santos’ choice simply how a lot strain was positioned upon the shoulders of Goncalo Ramos. At simply 21 years of age, and on his first begin for his nation, in a World Cup last-16 tie, he was tasked with changing Ronaldo. The Benfica striker had performed simply 33 minutes of worldwide soccer going into this sport, and but he solely wanted an extra 17 to point out exactly why he had been picked. Given the angle, there seemed to be little probability of Ramos beating the recalled Yann Sommer from the left-hand facet of the penalty space, but the ahead’s shot was unleashed with such ferocity that the Swiss goalkeeper really had no probability. His second aim was a neat near-post end, whereas his third was a lovely dinked end. As he ran away to have fun his treble, even Ramos appeared astounded by his achievement. He had simply develop into the primary Portuguese participant to hit a hat-trick within the World Cup knockout stage since Eusebio. On an evening when it was made abundantly clear to even a few of his staunchest supporters that Ronaldo’s star is fading, one other was born.
Pepe:
How is Pepe nonetheless doing this at 39 years of age? There have been indicators throughout the group stage that age may lastly be catching up with the centre-back, little glimpses of weak point, significantly when confronted with pacey gamers. Nonetheless, he was head and shoulders above each different defender right here, most notably when he rose to energy house Portugal’s second aim to develop into the oldest goalscorer within the knockout levels of a World Cup. Additionally value noting that he has two extra knockout stage objectives than Ronaldo too… Pepe has at all times been a polarising determine. Calling him a grasp of the darkish arts is placing it kindly. However love him or detest him, it is not possible to not respect his ludicrous longevity.