He could make a name for himself very quickly in the capital. Exit Sergio, place Gonçalo? According to many sources, the young Portuguese striker, just 22 years old – he had them on June 20 – is on the verge of joining France. Paris Saint-Germain would be ready to pay 80 million euros to secure the services of the one who put a certain Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench in selection.
Always in the sights of the financial policeman and worried about financial fair play, Paris is spending (almost) without counting this summer. Already 160 million euros invested while other players could land. And the capital club would be ready to pay 80 million euros to Benfica to bring in Gonçalo Ramos, under contract until 2026 with his training club. A significant sum but which is justified given the express progress of the young man.
“He’s an attacker who works a lot, who runs a lot, who helps the team a lot defensively,” explains Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes, his national teammate. He is the type of attacker who is everywhere. He is more of an attacker who participates in the construction, who creates spaces for others, who participates in the game.
Trained at Benfica since he was 12, Gonçalo Ramos does not have the profile of “crack.” The young striker, who started in midfield, emerges late. At 20, he played less than ten pro games. At that age, Kylian Mbappé was already world champion. But the young Portuguese has since experienced a meteoric rise. Two years after his timid debut, the striker has played 106 games with the SLB tunic, for a total of 41 goals and 16 assists. Involved in a goal every 110 minutes.
At 22, Gonçalo Ramos is more comfortable in the axis. Able to play alone in front of, or behind a pure goalscorer. “The position I prefer is a top striker, explained the main interested party at the start of last season. Last year, I was asked to play in support of Darwin. It is clear that with his departure (for Liverpool in the summer of 2022, editor’s note), a space has opened up for me.
Not very early, the Benfiquist has since caught up. 18 selections and 14 goals with the Espoirs, then the discovery of the A team last September. A first convocation at the start of the school year before a first cape in November. A goal and an assist on his debut against Nigeria before flying to Qatar a few days later. Entering at the very end of the match in the first two group matches, the No. 88 of Benfica is established to everyone’s surprise in the round of 16. Cristiano Ronaldo is on the bench. For his first tenure with the Seleção, the native of Olhão planted a hat-trick against Switzerland. The world discovers Gonçalo Ramos. “He is more dynamic, he studies the opportunities, he has a strong competitive spirit, details Fernando Santos, coach at the time. This is what I had seen by observing him in particular in his first matches as a substitute.
“I like two things about Gonçalo: he’s a scorer with incredible instincts and, on top of that, he’s a great fighter, analyzes Alejandro Grimaldo, his club teammate in the columns of Marca. He never rests.” A finisher, the top striker also knows how to pick up or turn into a passer when the game demands it.
At 22, this young player already has a lot of experience and maturity. “It is important for a striker to be more complete. Many people think that a striker is only there to score goals and that the rest doesn’t matter, explained Gonçalo Ramos himself in an interview with UEFA. In recent years, this image has faded a little. It is more and more important that the striker is more in the game and contributes more to the team. On paper he has it all but will he have the shoulders to win at Paris Saint-Germain?
