Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos García, born on March 30, 1986, is a highly regarded Spanish professional footballer known for his skills as a centre-back. He currently plays for La Liga club Sevilla. Ramos is widely considered one of the greatest defenders of all time, recognized for his tackling abilities, aerial skills, and leadership on the field.


Ramos began his football journey at Sevilla's youth academy, and after two seasons with the senior side, he made a significant move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2005. During his sixteen seasons at Real Madrid, Ramos played a pivotal role in the team's success, winning four UEFA Champions League titles, five La Liga titles, and numerous other honors. He established himself as one of La Liga's top goalscorers from a defensive position. Notably, he played a crucial part in the build-up to all four UEFA Champions League victories and scored key goals in the 2014 and 2016 finals.


In July 2021, Ramos signed with Paris Saint-Germain , spending two seasons with the club and winning Ligue 1 twice, before making a return to Sevilla.On the international stage, Ramos represented Spain in four World Cups and three European Championships. He played a vital role in Spain's triumphs, winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championships in 2008 and 2012.


Ramos holds the record as the most capped player in the history of the Spain national team and is the country's ninth-highest all-time goalscorer. He achieved the milestone of becoming Spain's youngest player to reach 100 caps in 2013.


Ramos has received numerous individual accolades, including being named to the FIFPro World11 eleven times, a record for a defender. He has also been elected to the UEFA Team of the Year nine times, another record for a defender. Ramos has been recognized as La Liga's Best Defender five times and was included in the La Liga Team of the Season for the 2015–16 season.

Sevilla

Sergio Ramos, born in Camas, Seville, Andalusia, began his football journey at a young age. At the age of 6, he started playing for Camas CF before joining the youth system of local side Sevilla. During his time in Sevilla's youth system, he emerged alongside players like Jesús Navas and Antonio Puerta.


Ramos made his debut for the first team and in La Liga on February 1, 2004. In that match, he came on as a substitute in the 64th minute for Paco Gallardo in a 0–1 away loss against Deportivo La Coruña.


The 2004–05 season proved to be significant for Ramos. He appeared in 41 games as Sevilla finished sixth in La Liga and qualified for the 2005–06 UEFA Cup. Ramos showcased his goal-scoring ability in La Liga, scoring in home fixtures against Real Sociedad and Real Madrid. Additionally, in the 2004–05 UEFA Cup, he scored his first continental goal by heading to conclude a 2–0 win over C.D. Nacional at the Ramon Sánchez Pizjuán in the first round (4–1 aggregate).

Real Madrid

In the summer of 2005, Sergio Ramos made a significant move to Real Madrid, being purchased for 27 million. This transfer set a record for the highest fee paid for a Spanish defender at that time. His acquisition was part of Florentino Pérez's first stint as Real Madrid's president.


Upon joining Real Madrid, Ramos was given the number 4 shirt, previously worn by Fernando Hierro. On December 6, 2005, he scored his first goal for Real Madrid in a 2–1 UEFA Champions League group stage loss against Olympiacos.


Initially playing as a center-back, Ramos was occasionally deployed as an emergency defensive midfielder. However, with the arrivals of Christoph Metzelder and Pepe in the 2007–08 season, he transitioned to the right-back position. Despite being a defender, Ramos showcased a remarkable goalscoring instinct during his early years at Real Madrid, scoring more than 20 goals in his first four seasons. However, he also gained a reputation for receiving red cards, accumulating nine of his eventual 24 red cards for the club in his debut season alone.


During the 2006–07 season, Ramos scored five goals, contributing to Real Madrid's league title win – their 30th league championship. In the 2007–08 season, he played a pivotal role, assisting Gonzalo Higuaín in a crucial match against Osasuna and scoring twice in a 5–2 win against Levante on the final day of the season.


Ramos continued to impress in the 2008–09 season, scoring crucial goals, including an acrobatic volley in a 3–0 triumph at Mallorca and adding another goal in a 3–1 home win against Osasuna. His performances earned him recognition, as he was named in both FIFA and UEFA's 2008 Team of the Year, in addition to receiving the FIFPro Team of the Year 2007–08 accolade. Ramos also finished 21st in the European Player of the Year nomination for 2008.


On November 29, 2010, in a significant match against Barcelona, Sergio Ramos was sent off after kicking Lionel Messi from behind and pushing Carles Puyol in the ensuing melee. This incident led to his tenth red card at Real Madrid, equaling the previous record held by Fernando Hierro, despite playing in 264 fewer games. On April 20, 2011, Ramos started in the Copa del Rey final, contributing to Real Madrid's 1–0 victory against Barcelona in Valencia. However, during the victory procession, while celebrating on top of the club's bus, he accidentally dropped the cup, and it fell under the wheels of the vehicle, resulting in a dent in the trophy.


On July 12, 2011, Ramos extended his contract with Real Madrid until 2017. In the Champions League semi-finals' second leg against Bayern Munich on April 25, 2012, Ramos missed his penalty shootout attempt as Real Madrid lost 3–1. Despite this setback, Real Madrid won the league campaign with a record 100 points after a four-year wait, and Ramos was the player with the most balls recovered in his team, ranking third overall.


On January 9, 2013, Ramos received a red card for a second bookable offense during a 4–0 home win over Celta Vigo in the 2012–13 Copa del Rey. He was subsequently given a four-match suspension after insulting the referee, Miguel Ángel Ayza Gámez. In the following month, Ramos, just minutes after scoring the second goal at home against Rayo Vallecano, received two yellow cards within one minute during a 2–0 home success, bringing his red card tally with Real Madrid alone to 16 and 12 in the league.


In late February and early March 2013, with Iker Casillas absent due to injury, Ramos captained Real Madrid to back-to-back wins over Barcelona in just four days. He scored the winning goal in the second game with a header after a corner kick, securing a 2–1 home victory.

1. Red Card Against Barcelona (March 23, 2014): Ramos received his 19th red card in a 4-3 home defeat to Barcelona.
2. Goal Against Osasuna (April 26, 2014): Ramos scored a header against Osasuna in La Liga at the Bernabéu. The goal was a part of a counter-attack that he initiated with a strong tackle.
3. Two Headers Against Bayern Munich (April 29, 2014): In the Champions League semi-finals against Bayern Munich, Ramos scored two headers in four minutes during a 4-0 away win. The tie concluded with a 5-0 aggregate score, and Real Madrid qualified for the final.
4. Goals Against Valencia (May 4, 2014): Ramos scored in the 2-2 draw with Valencia at home in La Liga with another header, marking goals in back-to-back league games.
5. Free-Kick Goal Against Valladolid (May 7, 2014): Just three days later, Ramos scored his first free-kick in a 1-1 draw away to Valladolid. This goal marked him scoring in three consecutive La Liga matches and four consecutive matches for Real Madrid for the first time.
6. Champions League Final Heroics Against Atlético Madrid (May 24, 2014): In the Champions League final against Atlético Madrid, Ramos headed home in the 93rd minute, tying the game 1-1. Real Madrid went on to win 4-1 in extra time, securing their tenth trophy in the competition, known as 'La Decima.' Ramos was chosen by fans as the Man of the Match.

References

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