Sergio Ramos

This article is about the Spanish association football player. For the Portuguese basketball player, see Sérgio Ramos.
Sergio Ramos

Sergio Ramos with Spain in 2012
Personal information
Full nameSergio Ramos García[1]
Date of birth30 March 1986
Place of birthCamas, Spain
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current team
Real Madrid
Number4
Youth career
1996–2003Sevilla
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2003–2004Sevilla B26(2)
2004–2005Sevilla39(2)
2005–Real Madrid312(40)
National team‡
2002Spain U171(0)
2004Spain U196(0)
2004Spain U216(0)
2005–Spain126(10)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:53, 26 April 2015 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 31 March 2015
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Ramos and the second or maternal family name is García.

Sergio Ramos García (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈserxjo ˈramoz ɣarˈθi.a]; born 30 March 1986) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for Real Madrid and Spain national football team. A central defender, he can also play as a right back, a position he primarily fulfilled earlier in his career.

He is a strong player who excels in the air, making him a goal threat on set-pieces,[2] and he is also a competent, aggressive tackler. He is gifted with pace,[2] good technical ability, as well as good distribution and crossing ability.[3] He has been criticised, however, for his lack of discipline at times, and he holds the record for the most red cards obtained by a Real Madrid player.[4] Due to his leadership, his athletic and technical prowess, his ability to excel both offensively and defensively, as well as his tactical versatility, which allows him to be deployed as a centre back and as a full back, manager Carlo Ancelotti has compared him to legendary defender Paolo Maldini.[3]

After emerging through Sevilla's youth system, Ramos went on to be a mainstay for Real Madrid. He acted as vice-captain for the latter, also being one of La Liga's top scorers from a defensive position.[5]

Internationally Ramos competed with the Spanish national team in three World Cups and two European Championships, winning the former tournament in 2010 and the latter in 2008 and 2012. He made his first appearance at the age of 18 and, in 2013, he became the youngest player to ever reach 100 caps.[6]

Club career

Sevilla

Born in Camas, Seville, Andalusia, Ramos began his career at local side Sevilla FC, emerging through the club's youth system alongside Jesús Navas and Antonio Puerta. He made his first-team – and La Liga – debut on 1 February 2004, coming on as a second half substitute in a 0–1 away loss against Deportivo de La Coruña.

In the 2004–05 season, Ramos appeared in 41 games as Sevilla finished sixth and qualified to the UEFA Cup, scoring in home fixtures against Real Sociedad (2–1)[7] and Real Madrid (2–2).[8]

Real Madrid

Ramos during the 2010–11 season.

2005–2008

In the summer of 2005, Ramos was purchased by Real Madrid for €27 million, a record for a Spanish teenager.[9] He was the only Spanish player brought in during Florentino Pérez's first stint as Real's president.

At the club, Ramos was assigned the number 4 shirt, previously worn by Fernando Hierro. On 6 December 2005 he netted his first goal for the Merengues, in a 2–3 UEFA Champions League group stage loss at Olympiacos FC.[10]

During his first seasons, Ramos played as centre back, being also used as an emergency defensive midfielder on occasion. However, with the arrival of Christoph Metzelder and Pepe in the 2007–08 season, he was again relocated to right back. In his first four seasons at Real Madrid, Ramos displayed a goalscoring instinct unusual to many defenders, netting more than 20 goals overall. On 4 May 2008, he assisted Gonzalo Higuaín in the 89th minute against CA Osasuna in an eventual 2–1 away win, the match that sealed the club's 31st league championship. On the final day of the season, he scored twice in a 5–2 home win against already relegated Levante UD: one through a header, and another an individual effort; these goals taking his league tally for the 2007–2008 season to five.[11]

Ramos scored a vital goal in the Spanish Supercup contest against Valencia CF, making it 2–1 in an eventual 4–2 and 6–5 aggregate win despite the fact Real Madrid playing with only nine men for a long period of time. Although he experienced a slight dip in form, he returned to his best and on 11 January 2009, netted on an acrobatic volley in a 3–0 triumph at RCD Mallorca;[12] continuing his scoring run in the following week in a 3–1 home win against Osasuna.[13]

Ramos was named in both FIFA and UEFA's 2008 Team of the Year, adding the FIFPro Team of the Year 2007–08 accolade. He also finished 21st in the European Player of the Year nomination for 2008.[14]

2009–10 season

At the start of the 2009–10 season, Ramos was appointed as one of Real Madrid's four captains. Because Pepe had suffered a serious knee injury during this campaign, Ramos was often deployed as central defender. Ramos scored four goals in 33 league matches; and, on 21 February 2010 he played his 200th official match for the capital team against Villarreal CF (150 in the first division). Despite these personal highlights for Sergio Ramos, this season was a disappointing one for his side, with Los Blancos finishing the campaign without picking up any silverware.

2010–11 season

In Real Madrid's 0–5 loss at FC Barcelona on 29 November 2010, Ramos was sent off after kicking Lionel Messi from behind, then pushing Carles Puyol in the ensuing melée.[15] After this ejection, he equalled Fernando Hierro's previous record for red cards at the club, despite having played in 264 fewer games.[16]

Ramos in action in La Liga.

On 20 April 2011, Ramos started in the season's Copa del Rey final, a 1–0 win against Barcelona in Valencia. In the subsequent victory procession, while celebrating on the top of the club's bus, he accidentally lost hold of the cup, which fell under the wheels of the vehicle; the trophy was dented as a result.[17]

2011–12 season

On 12 July 2011, Ramos extended his contract with Real Madrid until 2017.[18] Early into the season, he emerged from an injury to Ricardo Carvalho to adjust to his less natural position as stopper.

On 25 April 2012, in the Champions League semi-finals' second leg against FC Bayern Munich, Ramos missed his penalty shootout attempt, shooting well wide over the bar. Real Madrid went on to lose 1–3 and be eliminated;[19] as the league campaign ended in conquest after a four-year wait, he was the player with most balls recovered in his team, third overall.[20]

2012–13 season

On 9 January 2013, Ramos was sent off for a second bookable offense midway through the second half of an eventual 4–0 home win over Celta de Vigo for the domestic cup. He subsequently received a four-match suspension, after it was revealed he also insulted referee Miguel Ángel Ayza Gámez.[21] The following month, mere minutes after scoring the second goal at home against Rayo Vallecano and less than 20 minutes into the first half, he received two yellow cards within one minute in the eventual 2–0 home success, taking his red card tally with Real Madrid alone to 16; and 12 in the league.[22][23]

In late February/early March 2013, due to the absence of Iker Casillas due to injury, Ramos captained Real to back-to-back wins over Barcelona in just four days: he netted the 2–1 home winner in the second game, heading home after a corner kick.[24]

2013–14 season

On 14 December 2013, Ramos received a club record 18th red card for Real Madrid in a 2–2 draw at Osasuna,[25] but the suspension was later lifted.[26] His 19th came in a 3–4 home defeat to Barcelona, on 23 March 2014.[27]

On 29 April 2014, Ramos scored twice from headers in a 4–0 away win against Bayern Munich for the semi-finals of the Champions League,[28] with the tie ending with a 5–0 aggregate score and Madrid's qualification to the decisive match for the first time in twelve years.[29] On 24 May, in the final against Atlético Madrid, he headed home in stoppage time to tie the game 1–1, and his team went on to win 4–1 in extra time to claim their tenth trophy in the competition; he was also chosen by fans as Man of the match.[30]

2014–15 season

Ramos started 2014–15 season on 12 August 2014 by playing full 90 minutes in 2–0 success against Sevilla to win first trophy of the season, UEFA Super Cup.[31] He then played the two-legged Supercopa de España final against Atlético Madrid with Los Blancos losing 2–1 on aggregate.[32][33] Ramos scored first goal of the season on 31 August in week two of La Liga, a header in a 4–2 away loss against Real Sociedad.[34]

He scored in both the semifinal and the final of the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco as Real Madrid won the tournament, and was voted the player of the tournament.[35]

International career

Ramos at Euro 2012.

In 2004 Ramos became an instant hit for Spain's under-21, for whom he played six international matches. On 26 March 2005, in a 3–0 friendly win over China in Salamanca, he first appeared for the senior side at only 18 years and 361 days of age, making him the youngest player to play for the national team in the last 55 years (he held this record until it was broken by Chelsea's Cesc Fàbregas).[36]

2006 FIFA World Cup

Just seven months later, Ramos scored his first two international goals in a 6–0 away thrashing of San Marino for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He was selected for the final stages in Germany and, after the international retirement of Real Madrid teammate Míchel Salgado, became the undisputed first-choice right-back.

Euro 2008

Throughout Spain's UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, Ramos was a regular member of the starting eleven as the national side finished first in its group, above Sweden. He scored two goals, including one in a 3–1 away win over Denmark, in 11 appearances. In the tournament's final stages, Ramos played in all matches and minutes, except the 2–1 group stage win against Greece. In the final, his pass nearly set up Marcos Senna's first international goal, but the latter missed his opportunity by inches. During the celebrations after the 1–0 defeat of Germany, he wore a T-shirt in honor of close friend and former Sevilla teammate Puerta, who died in August 2007.[37][38]

2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and 2010 FIFA World Cup

Ramos was selected in the squad for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, as Spain finished in third position. At the 2010 World Cup, held in the same country, he started every game, helping the team keep five clean sheets and reach the final, which they won 1–0 against the Netherlands; he topped the tournament's Castrol Performance Index with a score of 9.79.[39]

Euro 2012

Ramos playing with Spain at Euro 2012

Ramos returned to the heart of the defence for the Euro 2012 tournament. When asked about his role change, he replied: “I have adapted and feel comfortable in the middle, but I am a World and European champion at right-back.”[40] He played all the games in Poland and Ukraine alongside Barcelona's Gerard Piqué and, in the semifinals against Portugal, he converted his penalty shootout attempt in an eventual 4–2 win (0–0 after 120 minutes), scoring for the eventual champions in Panenka-style.[41]

On 22 March 2013, Ramos celebrated his 100th cap by opening the scoring in a 1–1 draw with Finland in Gijón for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers. He became the youngest European player ever to reach that figure in the process, surpassing Germany's Lukas Podolski.[6]

2014 FIFA World Cup

Ramos was selected for his third World Cup in 2014.[42] He played the full 90 minutes of each of Spain's matches, each with a different partner in central defence, as the champions were eliminated.

International goals

As of 28 December 2014 [43]

Scores and results list Spain's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 13 October 2005 Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino  San Marino 3–0 6–0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
2. 13 October 2005 Olimpico, Serravalle, San Marino  San Marino 4–0 6–0 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification
3. 13 October 2007 Atletion, Aarhus, Denmark  Denmark 2–0 3–1 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
4. 17 November 2007 Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid, Spain  Sweden 3–0 3–0 UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
5. 3 March 2010 Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France  France 2–0 2–0 Friendly
6. 6 September 2011 Las Gaunas, Logroño, Spain  Liechtenstein 4–0 6–0 UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
7. 16 October 2012 Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain  France 1–0 1–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
8. 14 November 2012 Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama  Panama 4–0 5–1 Friendly
9. 22 March 2013 El Molinón, Gijón, Spain  Finland 1–0 1–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
10. 8 September 2014 Estadi Ciutat de València, Valencia, Spain  Macedonia 1–0 5–1 UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying

Career statistics

As of 26 April 2015[44][45]
Club Season League Cup1 Europe Other2 Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Sevilla 2003–04 7000000070
2004–05 312505100413
2005–06 1000000010
Total 39 2 5 0 5 1 0 0 49 3
Real Madrid 2005–06 334617100466
2006–07 335306100426
2007–08 335517000456
2008–09 324218100426
2009–10 334007000404
2010–11 313718000464
2011–12 3436011100514
2012–13 264509100405
2013–14 3248011300517
2014–15 254216032367
Total 312 40 44 5 80 8 3 2 439 55
Career Total 351 43 49 5 85 9 3 2 488 58

1 Includes Supercopa de España.
2 Includes UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.

Honours

Club

Real Madrid

Country

Spain
Spain U–19

Individual

Personal life

Ramos entered a relationship with journalist/presenter Pilar Rubio in September 2012, and this was confirmed by both at the FIFA Ballon d'Or Gala.[48] On 12 November 2013 she announced via Twitter that she was expecting her first child with the footballer,[49][50] and Sergio Ramos Rubio was born on 6 May 2014.[51]

Ramos is a fan of bullfighting, which is popular in his hometown, and he is a personal friend of matador Alejandro Talavante.[52] He celebrated victories for both club and country by playing with a matador's cape.[53]

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA World Cup South Africa 2010: List of players" (PDF). FIFA. 4 June 2010. p. 29. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Campioni ai raggi X: Sergio Ramos, il difensore col vizio del gol". Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Ancelotti: Ramos like Maldini". Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  4. ↑ "Real Madrid, profondo rosso Sergio Ramos: già 18 espulsioni". Retrieved 22 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "Sergio Ramos is the top scoring active defender in La Liga". Real Madrid's official website. 5 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Ramos: centenario, capitán y goleador" [Ramos: 100th game, captain and scorer] (in Spanish). Marca. 22 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2013.
  7. ↑ "FC Sevilla 2–1 Real Sociedad". ESPN Soccernet. 26 September 2004. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  8. ↑ "FC Sevilla 2–2 Real Madrid". ESPN Soccernet. 14 May 2005. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  9. ↑ "Sergio Ramos joins Real Madrid for €27 million". Think Spain. 1 September 2005. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
  10. ↑ "Olympiakos 2–1 Real Madrid: Second-string". ESPN Soccernet. 6 December 2005. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  11. ↑ "Real Madrid 5–2 Levante". ESPN Soccernet. 18 May 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  12. ↑ "Mallorca 0–3 Real Madrid". ESPN Soccernet. 11 January 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  13. ↑ "Real Madrid 3–1 Osasuna". ESPN Soccernet. 18 January 2009. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  14. ↑ Chelsea readying mammoth €40 million swoop for Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos; Goal.com, 23 August 2010
  15. ↑ "Exquisite Barca crush Real". ESPN Soccernet. 29 November 2010. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
  16. ↑ Sergio Ramos ya ha igualado las diez tarjetas rojas de Fernando Hierro (Sergio Ramos equals Fernando Hierro's record of ten red cards); Resultados-Futbol (Spanish)
  17. ↑ "Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos drops Copa del Rey trophy off bus". The Daily Telegraph. 21 April 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2011.
  18. ↑ "Pepe, Ramos extend Real contracts". espnfc.com. 12 July 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  19. ↑ "Spot-on Bayern edge Madrid thriller to reach final". UEFA.com. 25 April 2012. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  20. ↑ "Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos Named ‘King Of Steals’". omgghana.com. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  21. ↑ "Ramos handed five-match ban". ESPN FC. 10 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  22. ↑ "Real claim derby spoils". ESPN FC. 17 February 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  23. ↑ "Sergio Ramos, en alerta roja" [Sergio Ramos, red alert] (in Spanish). Marca. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
  24. ↑ "Sergio Ramos heads Real past Barca". ESPN FC. 2 March 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2013.
  25. ↑ "Madrid to appeal Ramos' 18th red card". ESPN FC. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  26. ↑ "Sergio Ramos podrá jugar en Valencia" [Sergio Ramos will be able to play in Valencia] (in Spanish). Defensa Central. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
  27. ↑ "Sergio Ramos and his 19 Real Madrid red cards: a retrospective". The Guardian. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 24 March 2014.
  28. ↑ "Masterful Madrid end Bayern reign". UEFA.com. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  29. ↑ "Ancelotti delighted to end Madrid wait". UEFA.com. 29 April 2014. Retrieved 29 April 2014.
  30. ↑ "Madrid finally fulfil Décima dream". UEFA.com. 24 May 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
  31. ↑ "Real Madrid 2-0 Sevilla: Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice as Carlo Ancelotti's new Galacticos win UEFA Super Cup 2014". Daily Mail. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 19 August 2014.
  32. ↑ "Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1, Spanish Super Cup: as it happened". Daily Telegraph. 19 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
  33. ↑ "Atletico Madrid 1-0 Real Madrid (agg 2-1): Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez fail to fire as quickfire Mario Mandzukic secures Spanish Super Cup for Diego Simeone". Daily Mail. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  34. ↑ "Real Sociedad’s David Zurutuza scores twice to defeat Real Madrid". The Guardian. 31 August 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2014.
  35. ↑ "Ramos outshines the rest". FIFA. 20 December 2014. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
  36. ↑ "Aperitivo oriental" [Oriental hors d'oeuvre] (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 27 March 2005. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  37. ↑ "Sevilla's Puerta dies in hospital". BBC Sport. 28 August 2007.
  38. ↑ Ramos pays tribute to Antonio Puerta; Real Madrid's official website, 30 June 2008
  39. ↑ Spain's Sergio Ramos tops 2010 World Cup Castrol Index; Goal.com, 12 July 2010
  40. ↑ "Sergio Ramos: I have adapted to play as a centre-back for Spain". Goal.com. 28 February 2012. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  41. ↑ "Spain survive test of nerve to reach final". UEFA.com. 27 June 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  42. ↑ "World Cup 2014: Spain drop Alvaro Negredo and Jesus Navas". BBC Sport. 31 May 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  43. ↑ Sergio Ramos - national football team player EU-Football.info, Retrieved on 28 December 2014
  44. ↑ "Sergio Ramos". Soccerway. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  45. ↑ Sergio Ramos at ESPN FC
  46. ↑ Ramos crowned as La Roja conquer; FIFA.com, 12 July 2010
  47. ↑ Ramos crowned Castrol EDGE Index winner; UEFA.com, 2 July 2012
  48. ↑ "Pilar Rubio y Sergio Ramos hacen oficial su relación en la gala del Balón de Oro" [Pilar Rubio and Sergio Ramos make relationship official at Ballon d'Or Gala] (in Spanish). ABC. 9 January 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  49. ↑ "Pilar Rubio y Sergio Ramos esperan su primer hijo" [Pilar Rubio and Sergio Ramos expecting first child] (in Spanish). Antena 3. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  50. ↑ "Pilar Rubio: 'Sergio y yo esperamos un niño'" [Pilar Rubio: 'Sergio and i are expecting a baby boy'] (in Spanish). El Mundo. 8 January 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  51. ↑ "Nace el primer hijo de Ramos" [Ramos' first son is born] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 8 May 2014.
  52. ↑ "Bullfighter Talavante thanks Ramos for cape gesture". Marca. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  53. ↑ "Real's Sergio Ramos plays with a bullfighting cape at the end of …". Yahoo! Sports. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.

External links

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