- Planet Sport writer
- 21 May 2024
Sergio Ramos must choose between Sevilla loyalty or lucrative retirement?
Sevilla's stalwart Sergio Ramos faces a career crossroads, torn between club loyalty and lucrative retirement prospects elsewhere.
Ramos initially came through Sevilla's youth system before his move in the summer of 2005 to Real Madrid. While predominantly a centre-back, the Spaniard can also play at right-back and as a defensive midfielder.
The centre-back has won the La Liga, UEFA Champions League, the EUROs, the World Cup and many other trophies.
The Camas-born defender is also acclaimed at the other end of the pitch, known for his passing, penalty taking and goal scoring abilities, which has led him to break numerous scoring records for both club and country.
A decade and a half after his initial move to the Bernabeu, Ramos departed both Los Blancos and the Spanish national team after leading both sides to winning nearly every trophy in football to sign with Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent.
Ramos spent two seasons in Paris and won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles, scoring six goals in 58 appearances, although his form was often questioned and his departure at the end of the 2022/23 season was not seen as a surprise.
Career at Real Madrid
Just 39 La Liga appearances were enough to convince Real's president, Florentino Perez, to buy the Sevilla youngster after his breakthrough season.
At €27million, Ramos' move in 2005 was a record fee for a Spanish defender at the time, and the president Perez's sole Spanish signing (during his entire first stint in charge).
Ramos has won 22 major honours - including four UEFA Champions League medals and five La Liga titles. He also has the ability to deliver match winning performances in the most crucial of moments.
In 2014, he scored twice in the space of four minutes at the Allianz Arena to virtually secure Real's qualification to the Champions League final.
Sergio Ramos, Real Madrid, Champions League, Trophy, 2018
At the time, it was the fastest brace to ever be scored in European semi-final history. At the 2016 Super Cup, Ramos scored a 93rd minute equaliser against Sevilla.
Real went on to claim the trophy in 3-2 in extra time. Ramos has scored numerous El Clasico goals to thwart Barcelona and add to his tally of 72 goals in 472 appearances.
The most important intervention came in the 2014 Champions League final against Atletico Madrid, where Ramos headed home a stoppage-time equaliser - a goal that triggered Diego Simeone's side's extra-time defeat and helped secure Real's La Decima.
However, there have been many complaints about Ramos' disciplinary record. He is La Liga's most carded player (191), while his 20 red cards also make him the most sent-off player in the competition.
In the Champions League, his 40 yellow cards and four reds make him both the most-carded player and joint-most red-carded player in the history of the competition.
Fernando Hierro had previously held Real's dismissal record (10), until Ramos was sent off in 2010's El Clasico, where he overtook Hierro's disciplinary record, despite playing 264 fewer games.
New adventure in Paris
After a disappointing 2020/21 season in which Ramos struggled to stay fit Real Madrid decided not to renew his contract. However, he was not short on suitors. Manchester United were reported to be keen, but it was Ligue 1 giants PSG who secured his signature.
His troubles that season also all but brought and end to his international career, with Spain leaving him out of their squad for the delayed Euro 2020.
Ramos spent the past two seasons at the Parc des Princes and scored in his final appearance against Clermont Foot at the end of the 2022/23 season.
The 37-year-old won back-to-back Ligue 1 titles with PSG, scoring six goals in 58 appearances, although his form was often questioned and his departure was not seen as a surprise.
"Wearing the Red and Blue shirt for the last two years has been a wonderful experience," Ramos said in a statement.
"I've had an unforgettable adventure in Paris and I'd like to thank you all for your support and love. Allez Paris!"
International career with Spain
Making his first international appearance at 18, Ramos became Spain's youngest ever player to reach 100 caps, just nine years after his debut.
He is Spain's most capped player in history (180), eighth-highest all-time goalscorer and the player with the most international victories for Spain.
Having represented Spain at seven major tournaments (four World Cups and three European Championships), he has collected international silverware three times at EURO 2008, 2012 and the 2010 World Cup.
Spain finished top of their Euro 2008 qualifying group, with Ramos making 11 appearances and scoring two goals.
In the latter stages of the tournament, barring being rested against Greece, the Spaniard played every game and every minute as his side proceeded to the final.
Spain went on to beat Germany 1-0 - Ramos' first international success.
Two years later, after captaining his country for the first time against South Korea, Ramos played every minute of the 2010 World Cup at right-back as his team kept five clean sheets.
Spain reached the final where they defeated Holland 1-0, courtesy of Andres Iniesta's late goal.
Sergio Ramos, Spain, World Cup, 2010
Ramos was ever-present throughout the Euro 2012 tournament, even scoring a Panenka-style penalty to knock out Portugal in the semis.
A third consecutive international trophy then came as Spain humiliated Italy 4-0 in the final. Ramos was named in the Team of the Tournament.
With Ramos finding himself just four caps short of retired Egypt midfielder Ahmed Hassan's all-time international record of 184, he was left out of Spain's squad for Euro 2020 due to a lack of games in club football that season.
"Obviously, it is because he has not been able to compete since January in the right conditions," coach Luis Enrique said.
"It was difficult and hard. It gives me a bad taste because he is someone who has always been at the highest level, but I clearly believe that it is a decision that seeks the best for the group."
Personal life
Ramos has been named La Liga's best defender the most times (5), the most-selected defender of FIFPro's World 11 (10) and the most-included defender in the UEFA Team of the Year (8).
In consecutive years (2017-18), he was also named as the UEFA Defender of the Season as he continued to command Los Blanco's defensive line.
Aside from football, Ramos is married to presenter/journalist Pilar Rubio. They have four children - Sergio Jr, Marco, Alejandro and Maximo Adriano.
Sergio Ramos, Pilar Rubio, 2013
Ramos' brother, Rene, is his football agent. Ramos also regularly pays tribute to close friend and former Sevilla player, Antonio Puerta, who died in 2007.
The tributes include wearing number 15 for his country, despite being Madrid's number four, in honour of Puerta who debuted in the number 15 shirt.
Net worth
Forbes ranks Ramos as 100th on their 'The World's Highest Paid Athletes 2020' list and he is estimated to earn a salary of $18.8 million.
As a brand ambassador for varying global brands including Nike, Hugo Boss, Pepsi and Gatorade, he collects another $3 million. His net worth is $21.8million (according to Forbes).
In 2019, in a partnership with Amazon Prime, an eight-part 'The Heart of Sergio Ramos' documentary was released.
