The catharsis cured the melancholy of Portugal.
It is not the first time this has happened nor will it be the last.
The World Cup pays dramatic situations.
Many teams implode in transit.
The insults that Cristiano Ronaldo hurled at his coach, Fernando Santos, when he replaced him in the final group game, precipitated summary disciplinary action.
Santos had no choice but to restore his authority.
He left the captain out of the lineup and the dressing room, which had distanced itself from Cristiano for months, becoming more and more self-absorbed, finally felt liberated.
Portugal ceased to be the preserve of the 37-year-old goalscorer to become the team of Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes and João Felix, three superlative players who are defined by their sense of association, their generosity and their global vision of the game,
everything that never characterized CR.
Among the three they exalted Gonçalo Ramos, the substitute for the fallen idol, who scored three goals in the demolition of Switzerland, the touchstone of a team that joins the favorites.
Portugal came out to not disarm.
Following the pattern of the cautious Santos, the team headed towards Switzerland with a short rein, standing well in their field, with Gonçalo Ramos, the Benfica striker, occupying the position and carrying out the functions that Cristiano so disdained.
Up marking the territory to the opposing centrals, and running into space whenever he could.
The slogan for everyone else was clear.
Preserve the structure with William Carvalho and Otavinho ahead of the central defenders, and play each ball with the greatest economic sense possible.
It didn't matter if it was the side Dalot, the central Pepe or the midfielder Bernardo Silva.
The first option was to jump lines to look for Ramos and Bruno Fernandes;
the second, launching the full-backs on the run, with the mission of centering Ramos and Bruno Fernandes.
Akanji and Schär started by winning the split balls.
A brief tactical duel broke out.
Both teams shrunk.
Nobody ruled the game and nobody could circulate.
The public began to wave, in the absence of more entertainment.
But in trench warfare, his minutes were always counted.
It cannot be otherwise when the spiritual leader is the scattered Xhaka.
After fifteen minutes, João Felix received a throw-in and put the ball through the gap that opened up between Akanji and Xhaka, who hit him badly.
The ball went to Ramos.
The striker turned in front of Schär and used his left foot for the cannon.
He made it 1-0 in the squad at the near post before Sommer's terrified gaze.
The celebration of the Portuguese players was resoundingly happy.
They all went to hug the executor who had left the captain boss on the bench.
"Let's
go caralho
!" Bruno Fernandes congratulated him.
The blow hardly generated a reaction in the Swiss, who felt lost.
No matter how many squads Freuler gave Pepe, the government of the situation was always the best team on the field.
Pepe himself, coming off a corner, made it 2-0 with a superb header.
Switzerland was dying when the public, sentimental, began to pay tribute to the punished hero.
"Ronaldooooo!
Ronaldooooo…!”
The cry rose from the stands, like a clamor amid the rolling mist from the nearby sea, as Portugal tossed their adversary gaily absent-mindedly.
Ramos made it 3-0, assisted Guerreiro to make it 4-0, and scored the 5-0, the
first hat-trick
of this World Cup, before Cristiano finally entered by popular demand, cheered on by fans who happily celebrated the pass to the quarterfinals against Morocco, next Saturday.
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