Heel-to-toe, and Ramos is on the scoresheet again: he has done more during the international break than in the entire league season so far. It was the national team that gave him fresh momentum, and Gonçalo’s fate seems to be this: Ronaldo is always there to overshadow him.
Now that the Milan forward is scoring consistently enough to deserve Portugal’s No. 9 shirt, all anyone in the country can talk about is the Cristiano Ronaldo affair and his turbulent departure from the training camp. Perhaps it is this new-found freedom that has helped Ramos, no longer playing in the shadow of such a dominant first-choice striker, step into the spotlight with two goals in the space of a few days.
After scoring against Norway, he followed it up with another against Denmark: a backheel exchange with Bruno Fernandes, then, when his teammate played him through on goal, Gonçalo finished with the toe of his boot.
"It’s something I often do in training. It’s always difficult when you get one-on-one with the goalkeeper, and I decided to finish that way."
He now has 13 goals in 30 appearances for Portugal, the scoring rate of a true centre-forward. The goal he scored two nights ago also allowed him to reach an even more significant milestone: at the age of 25, the striker has just entered triple figures, reaching 100 career goals for club and country.
Gonçalo has played only for top clubs: he scored 41 goals in 106 appearances for Benfica, another 45 in 131 games for PSG, and one in his first six matches for Milan. Add his 13 goals for Portugal and the total reaches 100.
Gonçalo Ramos cementing his place
It is partly thanks to Gonçalo Ramos’s enthusiasm and excellent form that the football world is now watching the Ronaldo saga unfold. Jorge Jesus chose the Milan striker to lead the line, leaving Cristiano out.
While Portugal may be divided off the pitch, the team on it is united: a 4–2 win over Denmark, with Ramos leading the way. A goal, a shot off the post, an assist for Cancelo, several other chances created, and the man-of-the-match award, writes La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“External issues do not affect us. We are already thinking about the next match, and that is all that matters to our group. Of course, it is always nice to score, contribute and provide an assist, but the most important thing is the victory. Obviously, I am happy to be consolidating my position within the group."
Looking for a second
At Milan, however, the situation is almost the opposite. Within the squad, despite having only just arrived, Ramos already has an important role and is virtually guaranteed a starting place. What has been harder to come by are the goals.
Gonçalo has not scored since his goal against Venezia in the second league match of the season, which also remains the last game in which he registered a shot on the opposition goal.
His compatriot Amorim has also kept a close eye on him during his international appearances with Portugal, who will finish their campaign by facing Norway again. He is preparing to shape a new-look Milan side that will allow Ramos to be more dangerous, with frequent crosses and a constant search for runs in behind the defence.
Against Sassuolo, the hunt for his second Milan goal begins.
