Portugal manager Roberto Martinez spoke at a press conference this Saturday, on the eve of facing Armenia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. He was notably asked about the option of starting Gonçalo Ramos up front, with Cristiano Ronaldo suspended. The 24-year-old Paris Saint-Germain striker received a strong vote of confidence.
“Ramos has already delivered some excellent performances with the national team. He is the striker with the best minutes-per-goal ratio in European competitions. He is a very important player for the national team. I can’t announce the starting XI yet, but he will be a key element,” said Martinez, as reported by Paris SG Infos.
Ramos can appreciate this display of trust, especially if he does start tomorrow — which Martinez did not guarantee. Despite some disappointing performances and occasionally sharp criticism from observers, the PSG forward indeed maintains an impressive goals-per-minute ratio. The next step is to make the difference as a starter, as he has developed more of a “super-sub” reputation.
Let’s hope he can change that image, both with Portugal and at PSG, even if competition for the position is fierce.
