Gonçalo Ramos hat trick lifts Portugal past Switzerland: World Cup highlights

Key updates

Gonçalo Ramos scored three times for Portugal against Switzerland after starting in place of Cristiano Ronaldo. (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

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Updated December 6, 2022 at 4:01 p.m. EST|Published December 6, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. EST

The final game of the World Cup’s round of 16 featured Portugal and Switzerland in an all-European clash in Lusail, Qatar. Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo started the game on the bench, injecting a bit of drama into the proceedings before kickoff. But Ronaldo’s replacement, 21-year-old Gonçalo Ramos, scored a hat trick, and Portugal cruised to an easy 6-1 win. Continue reading for highlights from the game.

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Portugal is into the knockout stage for the fifth time, and now it is into the quarterfinals for the first time since a fourth-place finish in 2006. Ronaldo was benched because of what Coach Fernando Santos called “a strategic option.” He entered in the 73rd minute with Portugal already leading 5-1.

Switzerland was into the knockout stage for the eighth time but is still seeking its first quarterfinal berth since 1954.

Portugal will face Morocco in the quarterfinals Saturday after the Atlas Lions stunned Spain in a penalty shootout earlier Tuesday. Find the full bracket and knockout round schedule here.

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MattBonesteel

GlynnA. Hill

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4:01 p.m. EST

Key update

4:01 p.m. EST

Portugal hammers Switzerland, 6-1, to reach quarterfinals

By Glynn A. Hill

Before this round-of-16 match started, Cristiano Ronaldo was set to dominate headlines. Not because of his expected performance, but rather because of his benching in favor of Gonçalo Ramos. At the end of 90 minutes, Ramos presumably captured headlines of his own, helping Portugal to a 6-1 drubbing of Switzerland in Lusail, Qatar.

Ramos made an impression early and often, starting with a third-minute line break that ended with an offside call. His latter touches proved more fruitful.

Ramos scored in the 17th, 51st and 67th minutes, with the latter two slotted during a dizzying cascade of Portuguese goals. That streak was only briefly interrupted by Manuel Akanji’s 58th-minute Swiss score following a set piece. Pepe doubled Portugal’s lead in the 33rd minute, and Ramos assisted Raphaël Guerreiro’s 55th-minute goal. Ramos’s 67th-minute goal made him the first player of this tournament to record a hat trick. Rafael Leão added a sixth score in added time for good measure.

3:52 p.m. EST

By Glynn A. Hill

Reporter covering general and national sports

GOAL: Tally another for the Portuguese, compliments of Rafael Leão. Portugal leads 6-1 in stoppage time.

SIX FOR PORTUGAL 😱

Rafael Leão scores a beauty 🎯 pic.twitter.com/lS3YxPayoq
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 6, 2022

3:47 p.m. EST

By Matt Bonesteel

Reporter covering breaking news

Portugal makes one last substitution in the 87th minute, sending in Rafael Leão for Bruno Fernandes. Ardon Jashari entered for Switzerland, replacing Breel Embolo, shortly thereafter.

3:45 p.m. EST

By Matt Bonesteel

Reporter covering breaking news

Cristiano Ronaldo’s apparent goal in the 84th minute was wiped off the board by an offside call. Ronaldo was pretty clearly ahead of the defender when the pass was served to him.

Ronaldo finds the back of the net but it's called offside pic.twitter.com/KOt27YUkKq
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 6, 2022

3:42 p.m. EST

By Matt Bonesteel

Reporter covering breaking news

Rúben Neves enters the game for Portugal in the 81st minute, replacing Bernardo Silva in the midfield.

3:37 p.m. EST

By Glynn A. Hill

Reporter covering general and national sports

Cristiano Ronaldo, a 73rd-minute sub, sees his first action of this game. Ronaldo’s admission was met with an enthusiastic roar. He took the field alongside Vitinha and Ricardo Horta. They replaced João Félix, Otavio and Gonçalo Ramos — who replaced Ronaldo in the starting lineup.

With a 5-1 lead over Switzerland, Ronaldo comes into the game for Portugal 🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/f5G31kesql
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 6, 2022

3:31 p.m. EST

Key update

3:31 p.m. EST

Gonçalo Ramos’s hat trick gives Portugal 5-1 lead

By Matt Bonesteel

If this is the way Cristiano Ronaldo’s replacement is going to play, the megastar may never see the pitch again.

Gonçalo Ramos, who took over Ronaldo’s spot in Portugal’s starting lineup, scored his third goal of the day in the 67th minute to assume a 5-1 lead over Switzerland.

Ramos was again the beneficiary of a Portugal breakout, calmly collecting a pass from João Félix and laying it into the net.

HAT TRICK FOR RAMOS

Gonçalo Ramos nets the first hat trick of the 2022 FIFA World Cup 🔥🇵🇹 pic.twitter.com/YYEzJxZepu
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) December 6, 2022

3:30 p.m. EST

By Matt Bonesteel

Reporter covering breaking news

Switzerland has made several substitutions in this second half: Denis Zakaria and Haris Seferovic replaced Remo Freuler and Djibril Sow back in the 54th minute, and Noah Okafor replaced Rubén Vargas in the 66th.

3:28 p.m. EST

By Glynn A. Hill

Reporter covering general and national sports

GOAL: The flurry of goals continues. Gonçalo Ramos scores his third of the game in the 67th minute. He has the first hat trick of this World Cup, and it’s 5-1 Portugal.

3:21 p.m. EST

Key update

3:21 p.m. EST

Portugal’s lead is 4-1 over Switzerland after flurry of goals

By Matt Bonesteel

Portugal added two goals in quick succession to take a 4-0 lead over Switzerland early in the second half, but Switzerland got one back in the 58th minute off a set piece.

Portugal’s third goal was perhaps its easiest of the night, with Diogo Dalot’s cross getting knocked in by Gonçalo Ramos for his second goal of the game in the 51st minute. Not a bad night for Cristiano Ronaldo’s replacement in Portugal’s starting lineup.

Portugal’s fourth goal came only moments after its third on a perfect breakout. The ball found itself on the feet of Raphaël Guerreiro, and he forcefully put it past a helpless Yann Sommer in the 55th minute.

3:18 p.m. EST

By Glynn A. Hill

Reporter covering general and national sports

GOAL: Switzerland quickly trims the deficit. Manuel Akanji scored to make it 4-1 in the 58th minute.

3:16 p.m. EST

By Glynn A. Hill

Reporter covering general and national sports

GOAL: Raphael Guerreiro adds another for a Portuguese team that is emphasizing its dominance. It’s a 4-0 lead.

3:11 p.m. EST

By Glynn A. Hill

Reporter covering general and national sports

GOAL: Gonçalo Ramos strikes again, finding the back of the net in the 51st minute. Portugal leads 3-0.

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World Cup in Qatar

World champions: Argentina has won the World Cup, defeating France in penalty kicks in a thrilling final in Lusail, Qatar, for its first world championship since 1986. Argentina was led by global soccer star Lionel Messi in what is expected to be his final World Cup appearance. France was bidding to become the first repeat champion since Brazil won consecutive trophies in 1958 and 1962.

Today’s WorldView: In the minds of many critics, especially in the West, Qatar’s World Cup will always be a tournament shrouded in controversy. But Qatar’s foreign minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, wants people to take another view.

Perspective: “America is not a men’s soccer laughingstock right now. It’s onto something, and it’s more attuned to what’s working for the rest of the world rather than stubbornly forcing an American sports culture — without the benefit of best-of-the-best talent — into international competition.” Read Jerry Brewer on the U.S. men’s national team’s future.