Portugal have progressed to the quarter-finals of the World Cup 2022 after thrashing Switzerland 6-1 in the last 16 at Lusail Stadium on Tuesday night.

Goncalo Ramos scored the first hat-trick of this year’s tournament in Qatar, while Pepe, Raphael Guerreiro and Rafael Leao were also on the scoresheet as Portugal swept aside a lacklustre Swiss outfit, whose only goal of the night came from Manuel Akanji midway through the second half.

Fernando Santos’s side have advanced to the quarter-finals of the World Cup for just the third time in their history and for the first time since 2006, and they have now set up a last-eight clash with surprise package Morocco, who stunned Spain to win 3-0 on penalties earlier in the day

The opening was scrappy, but then, on 18 minutes and out of nothing, Ramos lashed in a sensational opener from an acute angle – his first goal for his country.

Portugal maintained momentum after the break, scoring two brilliant goals between the 51st and 55th minutes, Ramos and Raphael Guerreiro scoring them. Switzerland did get one back shortly afterwards, through Manuel Akanji, but then on 67 minutes, Ramos applied a third lovely finish to complete one of the wildest daydreams the World Cup has ever turned into reality.

Rafael Leao added a sixth after coming on as a late substitute.

Ramos nets hat-trick as Portugal smash Switzerland

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