On Gonçalo Ramos' big night, focus remained on Ronaldo

AL DAAYEN, Qatar — Cristiano Ronaldo didn’t start in Portugal’s resounding 6-1 victory over Switzerland in the round of 16 at Lusail Stadium on Tuesday. But that didn’t stop anybody from asking about him after the match.

Three out of the six questions Portuguese manager Fernando Santos received in the postgame press conference were about the 37-year-old striker who didn’t start in a World Cup match for the first time since 2006. Switzerland head coach Murat Yakin got one, too.

Ronaldo has been the center of attention throughout this World Cup: from leaving Manchester United to reports that he may sign with Al Nassr, a Saudi Arabian club that would pay him a salary worth more than $200 million per year, to cameras catching him complaining about being taken out of a group-stage game in the 65th minute.

So why would Tuesday’s knockout round be any different? 

Hours before kickoff, Santos made the bold move to start 21-year-old Gonçalo Ramos instead of the legendary footballer. Ramos, who plays for Primeira Liga club Benfica, had only played 33 minutes of international competition, but his lack of big game experience didn’t seem to matter as he scored a hat trick in his first-ever World Cup start. He was named Man of the Match.

Santos said his decision regarding Ronaldo was more strategic than disciplinary. Monday, there was tension at the manager’s press conference when he told reporters that he "really didn’t like" Ronaldo’s reaction to being substituted in the 65th minute of a 2-1 loss to South Korea in the team’s final group stage match. And so his decision to not play him until the final 25 minutes in a knockout match gave the impression there was drama in the locker room. Especially given that Ronaldo had started all but one World Cup game in his national team career, a 2006 group stage match against Mexico that he missed due to an injury.

"As I’ve said, I think those issues have been resolved," Santos stated firmly. "I’m repeating myself. This is finished and solved.

"It’s important to look at [Ronaldo’s] history. He’s one of the best players in the world. He’s our captain. But I think about this team collectively … if we can improve some things, we’re on the right path [to keep advancing in the tournament], I would say."

In the middle of the second half, fans at Lusail Stadium chanted "Ronaldo, Ronaldo" every couple of minutes. He eventually came in for Ramos in the 73rd minute to thunderous applause that was louder than any of the cheers for A Seleção’s six goals. Fans roared when he scored in the 84th minute, but the goal was called back for offside.

Was it difficult for Santos not to start Ronaldo in a knockout game? Would this be his role moving forward? Portugal is onto the quarterfinal now where an intriguing matchup with Cinderella team Morocco awaits on Saturday.

"That’s still something that has to be defined," Santos said. "I have a close relationship with him and always have. I’ve known him since he was 19 and our relationship has only grown.

"Ronaldo and I never misinterpret the human aspect with manager and player in a match. He will always be a very important player to have on this team."

Getting his first World Cup start in a win-or-go-home game (he came off the bench in Portugal’s first two matches) and scoring three dazzling goals was a huge moment for Ramos. So of course the first question he got after the game was if he felt pressure coming on instead of Ronaldo and if his famous teammate gave him any advice beforehand.

"Honestly, in our team, no one talked about it," said Ramos, who also noted that Ronaldo has always been one of his role models.

"Cristiano Ronaldo is our captain, and he did what he always does. He helped us and he encouraged us. Not just me, but all of my teammates."

The question remains, though. What does Ramos’ extraordinary performance on the sport’s grandest stage mean for an aging legend who is playing in his fifth and final World Cup?

In backing up his statement that benching Ronaldo was more tactical than anything else, Santos said that "Cristiano is more fixed and stays in one area and plays more toward the box now." Ramos, on the other hand, "has different characteristics," Santos continued. "He’s dynamic in the way that he looks at his opportunities. Those were observations that stood out to me and that’s what he ended up showing."

For all the drama surrounding Ronaldo, he is still beloved by fans worldwide and one of the biggest names at this World Cup. Photographers were more focused on him walking to his spot on the bench rather than the starting XI during the national anthems.

And even though he hasn’t performed at the level of his superstar peers like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Neymar, he is still larger than life at this tournament. 

And even if Ramos scores another hat trick, the story will always be about Ronaldo.

Read more from the World Cup:

• Portugal defeats Switzerland, 6-1
• Morocco steals show, advancing to quarterfinals
• Brazil's celebrations are what World Cup is all about
• Cristiano Ronaldo benched by Portugal coach
• World Cup 2022 odds: Lines for remaining teams to win in Qatar
• World Cup turning into a superstar showcase as bracket narrows
• Best of the World Cup so far: Top goal, save, player, team and more
• Quick guide to surviving penalty-kick shootouts at World Cup
• France looks poised to become only third back-to-back World Cup champion
• For USA, the focus now shifts to 2026 World Cup
• Stu Holden's top 50 players at the World Cup

Laken Litman covers college football, college basketball and soccer for FOX Sports. She previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, USA Today and The Indianapolis Star. She is the author of "Strong Like a Woman," published in spring 2022 to mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX. Follow her on Twitter @LakenLitman.