MADRID, 23 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish defender Sergio Ramos put an end to his international career this Thursday after 180 games with Spain, a historical record, and with an outstanding role in the best period of the ‘Red’, with the European titles of 2008 and 2012 and the conquest of the World Cup 2010.
Ramos, 36, said goodbye with the resentment of a call from Luis de la Fuente that closed the doors of being called up and playing again, as he had not done since March 2021 against Kosovo. Beyond the controversy that it raises, the moment is historic due to the top of 180 games that will remain as a record.
The man from Camas made his debut with Spain in 2005, in a friendly in Salamanca against China (3-0), after being European Under-19 champion, and took over the right-back as the undisputed starter. Luis Aragonés gave him the alternative and Ramos took advantage of it as European champion in 2008, with special brilliance in the semifinals and final.
Later, Vicente del Bosque also had a fixture in his defense in the Andalusian, world champion also as a winger in South Africa. Later, with the injury to Carles Puyol, Ramos moved to the center of defense with Gerard Piqué at EURO 2012, which was played in Poland and Ukraine and which established a team to remember.
The then Real Madrid player had given his overflow on the wing and, then, added his anticipation and character as a central defender to a team that was living a dream with the golden and historic treble. Ramos signed 23 goals for Spain, not as assiduous at decisive moments as at Real Madrid, but without complexes when it comes to assuming responsibility.
Thus, in the semifinals of that 2012 event, the Sevillian scored his Panenka-style shootout penalty, a month after missing the shot against Bayern Munich that he sent to the moon, according to thousands of memes on the internet, and that got Real Madrid out of the semifinals of the Champions League.
With the retirement of Iker Casillas in 2016, Ramos became captain of Spain, a bracelet that could not be accompanied by more success. Ramos continued to be indisputable for Julen Lopetegui, Fernando Hierro, Luis Enrique and Robert Moreno, but the ‘Red’ would not perform again in a major tournament.
The disappointments at the level of results were not with Real Madrid, with whom they did win one Champions League after another, but the national team and Ramos captain had lean times, especially with the disastrous 2018 World Cup in Russia. For the Andalusian , the selection ended in the match in Kosovo.
So, Luis Enrique took the last four minutes from him to add 180, but in training afterward he suffered a new injury. It was a fateful year for a Ramos who lost his place at the same time almost at Real Madrid and in the national team, when shortly after, that summer, ‘Lucho’ dispensed with him for the Euro Cup.
Without rhythm, the then coach valued the inactivity ahead of the stripes and “killed” the captain. The Andalusian also finished his stage at the white club and went to PSG, where he spent a year in the shadows. In the current season, Ramos was making headlines in Ligue 1, with great performances with which his name came out again for the national team.
However, Luis Enrique did not remember him for the World Cup in Qatar either. After a new World Cup debacle, Luis de la Fuente was chosen, but the coach from La Rioja cut the rumors to the root this Thursday, with that call that caught the team’s record man by surprise. Ramos, the last survivor of the eleven of the South African star, says goodbye with controversy, for that invitation to leave that De la Fuente will have to confirm, but with legendary numbers.