The first message that Goncalo Ramos wanted to broadcast after his jaw-dropping World Cup debut was that Cristiano Ronaldo has and continues to be an inspiration.
As the captain and leader of this supremely talented Portuguese squad, Ronaldo - in the dressing-room ahead of the six-goal swatting of the Swiss - had been nothing but a positive influence on the 21-year-old striker and the rest of the starting eleven, Ramos insisted.
Fernando Santos, the veteran manager who dropped Ronaldo, followed the same narrative, acclaiming his skipper’s professionalism. It became a familiar theme when Portuguese players were asked about the Ronaldo situation.
