Icons: Sergio Ramos

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It's time to explore another legendary footballer. 

Sergio Ramos is a Spanish professional footballer renowned as one of the greatest defenders ever. 

Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football

Sergio Ramos playing for Real Madrid
Ramos in action for Real Madrid against local rivals. Photo credit - Jan S0L0 | Flickr

Known for his tackling prowess, aerial strength, leadership, and an impressive goalscoring record for a defender, he netted over 100 goals for Real Madrid. During his sixteen seasons at Real Madrid, he won multiple UEFA Champions League titles, as well as two UEFA European Championships and the 2010 FIFA World Cup with the Spanish national team.

An overview of his club career

Ramos was born in Seville and developed his skills in Sevilla’s youth academy. After two seasons with Sevilla's senior team, he made a high-profile move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2005. He became an integral part of the squad, winning 22 major honours, including five La Liga titles and four Champions League titles. Ramos was pivotal to each of those Champions League triumphs, earning a spot in the Team of the Season each time. 

His individual stats in Madrid were remarkable, He scored 101 goals in 671 appearances. After his contract with the club ended, he joined Paris Saint-Germain in July 2021, winning Ligue 1 twice in two seasons before returning to Sevilla for one more season. Even at Sevilla and in the final stages of his playing career, he still managed seven goals in 37 matches.

Spanish international

On the international stage, Ramos represented Spain in four World Cups and three European Championships, winning the World Cup in 2010 and the Euros in 2008 and 2012. He was included in the FIFA World Cup Dream Team in 2010 and the UEFA Euro Team of the Tournament in 2012. Making his debut for Spain at just 18, he became the youngest player to reach 100 caps by 2013. Ramos is Spain's most-capped player and ranks ninth among the nation’s all-time top scorers, also holding the record for the most wins with Spain, with 131.

Most iconic moments

Very few people will ever forget the 2014 Champions League final. A header from Ramos forced extra time with a dramatic 93rd-minute header. Real went on to win the match 4-1 and claim their 10th European Cup.

A lesser-known iconic moment for Real Madrid was an assist that helped his team seal the 2007-08 La Liga title. They had fought back from 0-1 down against Osasuna to level matters at 1-1. In the 87th minute, Ramos picked the ball up on the halfway line and strode forward with intent, exchanging a one-two with Mahamadou Diarra before deftly feeding the ball to Gonzalo Higuain to score the winner. The winner gave Ramos and his team the points they needed to claim another La Liga title.

Individual accolades

Ramos has earned a place in the FIFPro World 11 eleven times—a record for a defender and the third most of any player. He was also selected in the UEFA Team of the Year nine times, again setting a record for defenders. In La Liga, he was named the Best Defender a record five times and featured in the La Liga Team of the Season for 2015–16.

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