<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Goncalo Ramos was thrown into the eye of the storm, but it was Portugal's 21-year-old striker who brought the thunder, blasting his country into the World Cup quarter-finals.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">On a shock first World Cup start in place of Cristiano Ronaldo, the Benfica forward scored a brilliant hat-trick in the 6-1 romp over Switzerland to set up a date with Morocco on Saturday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Known as the "Pistoleiro" for his gun-toting celebration, Ramos shot his way into world football's consciousness, having only made his Portugal debut in a late tune-up friendly against Nigeria.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Benfica striker scored and provided an assist as a substitute as Portugal won 4-0 and perhaps that impact earned him the role of Ronaldo's replacement on Tuesday, when they won big again.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ramos sent a scorching shot into the top corner to open the scoring, his second was a poacher's finish at the near post and he confidently dinked the third over Swiss goalkeeper Yann Sommer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Not even in my wildest dreams did I imagine I'd score three goals in my first World Cup knockout match," said Ramos, after being named man of the match.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It was the first time in 16 years that Ronaldo had been a substitute at a World Cup, but on Saturday it might happen again -- Ramos is expected to start the quarter-final against Morocco.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Portugal played far more fluidly in attack with Ramos leading the line, his movement a boon for the attacking midfielders behind him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It seems difficult to me, very difficult indeed, for a player who performed as well as he did against Switzerland to be left out of the next game," said former Portugal striker Rui Aguas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">"It's not impossible, but it seems difficult for that to happen."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ronaldo became the first player to score at five men's World Cups at the tournament, but Ramos showed no nerves when asked to replace him.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Crowds at the World Cup have cooed over 37-year-old Ronaldo, even though he has struggled to make an impact, but Ramos gave them a quick and easy distraction.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker may be the leading men's international goalscorer, but he has never netted in a World Cup knockout match.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ramos has, three times.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">- The replacement -</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ramos is used to being the replacement, having filled the gap left by Darwin Nunez at club level this season, after the Uruguayan signed for Liverpool.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last season he played in a support role to help Nunez, but this season Ramos leads the line for Benfica and both he and the Eagles are thriving.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The forward is hard-working, a mobile attacker, keen to make runs, even if sometimes they only serve as decoys to create space for his team-mates.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ramos has listed Ronaldo as his idol, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robert Lewandowski as other reference points to follow.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The striker has 14 goals in 21 appearances, helping his team top a Champions League group including Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, and lead the Portuguese league by eight points from Porto, in second-place.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Porto winger Otavio joked that he hoped another club would see Ramos's goals against Switzerland and buy him, to improve his side's odds in the title race.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ramos came from Benfica's impressive academy, the latest on a conveyor belt of talent, including former graduates Bernardo Silva, Joao Cancelo and Joao Felix.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Those players are household names and in Qatar Ramos has found the fast track to join them. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>