MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ronaldo finds successor as Portugal crush Switzerland in Qatar

Ramos scored a hat trick while Cristiano Ronaldo stayed on the substitutes bench - Portugal will face Morocco, who beat Spain on penalties

In what seemed to be a generational transition, Portugal quashed Switzerland 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals at the Qatar 2022 football World Cup.

Striker Gonçalo Ramos was fielded instead of aging star Cristiano Ronaldo, who stayed on the substitute's bench, and scored a hat trick, while defender Pepe entered the competition's history book with a goal at the age of 39 years and 283 days, thus becoming the second oldest goal scorer in the tournament's history, surpassing Ronaldo, who had scored against Ghana at 37 years and 295 days in the first round. Cameroon legend Roger Milla remains top of the list, at 42 years and 39 days.

Raphael Guerreiro and Rafael Leao scored Portugal's other two goals. Ronaldo eventually came on but had a goal disallowed due to offside and also hit the frame, as if it was necessary to prove that it was going to be Ramos' day.

Portugal will now face Morocco in the quarterfinals after the African side dispatched favorites Spain on penalties after a goalless draw.

The Madrid-born Achraf Hakimi calmly made it unsurmountable with a Panenka-style kick after keeper Bono made two key saves. Abdelhamid Sabiri and Hakim Ziyech also converted their penalty attempts.

In other World Cup developments, it became known in Qatar that FIFA had decided to take action after Brazil's Neymar had been caught on camera sniffing something from his jersey. He was forced to take an anti-doping test and the results are yet to be announced. The substance was said to be a nasal decongestant, according to Brazilian media. Neymar is said to have been using the drug since the previous World Cup.

Last but not least, a Mexican lawmaker filed a proposal for Argentine legend Lionel Messi to be declared a persona non-grata for his alleged attitude after Argentina beat Mexico 2-0 in Qatar.

“Messi showed not only an evident disregard, but also a lack of respect towards the colors that allude to those that make up our national flag, which from a sovereign perspective can be considered as a conduct constituting an affront against our national identity,” said Congresswoman Maria Clemente Garcia, one of the first two trans legislators in the Mexican House of Representatives. Gracía, of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's Morena party, urged the Foreign Ministry “to declare as persona non grata the Argentine and Spanish citizen Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini” because of the video that was leaked on social networks in which Messi puts a Mexican national team jersey on the floor of a locker room, which also drew a reaction from Mexican boxer Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez who wanted to punch Messi but eventually apologized.