Tijuana, December 6. The World Cup is almost over; with the round of 16 behind us—exciting for some, disappointing for others, and surprising for all—eight matches remain to determine the champion of Qatar 2022.
One of the biggest surprises came with Morocco just this Tuesday; they advanced by eliminating Spain, one of the favorites. The game was played overtime and ended in penalties, with the Moroccan team scoring three goals, leaving the Spanish team scoreless, advancing to the quarterfinals for the first time.
A little later, in the Portugal-Switzerland match, Gonçalo Ramos (who came on for Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo, who was on the bench due to his performance in the match against South Korea) closed the round of 16 with a flourish by scoring a hat-trick - his country's first in a World Cup - and contributing half of the goal to the 6-1 rout.
Although the round of 16 was considered a possible farewell for some "weak" teams, they managed to excel and move one step closer to the final on December 18, while other teams that seemed poised for victory were eliminated, making it clear that in football, unexpected twists and turns can happen right up to the final minute of each match.
