Gonçalo Ramos declares himself best as Portugal endures Ronaldo drama

Gonçalo Ramos, aged twenty‑five, posted on Instagram on Sunday a message in which he proclaimed himself “the best” after the 2‑1 victory of Portugal over Norway, a match that secured the qualification of the country for the World Cup quarter‑finals.

A decisive performance in the Nations League

During the last three matches of the Nations League, Ramos started as striker in place of Cristiano Ronaldo, scoring three goals and providing an assist. In total, he has three goals in four matches of the competition.

Coach Jorge Jesus reminded that “Gonçalo Ramos, like all forwards, lives to score” and highlighted his offensive contributions, notably the combination with Joao Cancelo against Denmark.

Media reactions and criticism

Journalist Luís Freitas Lobo, recently interviewed on Sport TV, described Ramos as “the best centre‑forward of our football”, stating that the playing criterion outweighs the mere notoriety of a brand. Ramos shared the post of the journalist, reproducing the quote “the status of best player”.

This statement sparked criticism from many fans of the quintuple Ballon d’or, who questioned the legitimacy of the self‑proclamation. Ramos eventually deleted the message a few hours later.

Called up for the first time in 2022, Ramos has accumulated thirty‑one caps and fourteen goals with the Seleçao. However, he has played in the shadow of Cristiano Ronaldo, recording only thirteen starts, including three consecutive ones in the past two weeks.

Currently a player of AC Milan, he experienced a frustrating World Cup, featuring only seven minutes against DR Congo and twenty‑seven minutes in the round of 16 against Croatia, where he scored the qualification goal in added time.