Goncalo Ramos is a Portuguese striker who plays for Benfica. The 21-year-old became the only player in FIFA World Cup 2022 to score a hattrick, which he did against Switzerland in the round of 16.

Ramos was introduced into the Portugal starting XI ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo. Before this fixture, he had played a total of 33 minutes in the Portuguese jersey.

After Czechoslovakia’s Tomas Skuhravy in 1990, Ramos became the first player in FIFA World Cup history to score a hattrick in the knockout stages of the tournament.

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When asked about his side’s captain after the match, Ramos said, “Cristiano Ronaldo is our leader. He is my reference and an idol to many of us.”

Who is Goncalo Ramos?

Goncalo Ramos was born on June 20, 2001 in Olhao, Algarve. His footballing career began as a child for the local club Olhanense. 

After this, he proceeded to join Loulé in 2011 and Benfica’s youth academy in 2013. Ramos debuted as a professional with the Benfica reserve team on January 13, 2019.

His first-team debut came on July 21, 2020. He has so far appeared in 45 matches for Benfica, scoring 20 goals in the process.

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Ramos has played in all stages of Portugal’s U17 to U21 sides, and made his appearance for the senior team on September 20, 2022. The youngster was called into the side to replace Rafa Silva, who announced his retirement from the national side. 

He was a part of the Portuguese squads that finished as the runners up in the 2019 UEFA European Championship (where he was the top scorer, netting in four goals over five appearances) and the 2021 European Championship. 

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The promising youngster has been given the nickname O Feiticeiro, which translates into The Wizard, because of his ability to drop deep and create chances for himself and other teammates.