Many call me a legend… but few know how many times I broke inside.”
My name is Sergio Ramos. I was born in Camas, a humble neighbourhood in Seville, in 1986.
My childhood was like many others: playing in the streets, dreaming of packed stadiums. My parents gave it their all. My brother René was like a father. He always protected me and believed in me more than anyone.
From a young age, I knew football would be my way out. I trained with rage, with hunger, with hope. At 17, I debuted with Sevilla. A year later, Real Madrid took a chance on me. I moved to the capital alone… and the kid from Camas became a captain, a symbol, a part of history.
At Madrid, I lived through the best and the worst. I won 22 titles: 5 LaLiga, 4 Champions Leagues, World Cups, Euros… But I also made mistakes. I was sent off, insulted, judged. I learned to live with pressure. It was never easy. I lost finals. I got injured. I played through pain. But I always stepped up.
I stopped the best: Messi, Lewandowski, Salah, Drogba, Ibrahimović… I faced them all. Some hate me. Others admire me. But there are those who call me the best defender of the century. Because I didn’t just put in tackles… I put in my soul.
In 2021, after 16 years, the club of my life let me go. No tribute, no farewell like I had dreamed. It broke me. I left for PSG… and even though I won titles, I wasn’t happy. Injuries came back. It was hard to return. I felt like I wasn’t the same. But I fought. I always fought.
And when I believed I still had more to give to my country… Luis Enrique didn’t call me for the World Cup in Qatar. It broke my heart. I had given everything to make it back. I took care of myself. I sacrificed. But it wasn’t enough.
In 2023, I was without a club. Many thought I was done. I got offers from Saudi Arabia. From the U.S. But I wanted one thing: to go home. And I did. I returned to Sevilla.
I didn’t go for money. I went for love. To close the circle. For the kid I once was. They welcomed me like a son. I cried. Truly. In every match, I felt like I was touching the soul of my past.
And when no one expected it, in February 2025, I crossed the ocean. I signed with Monterrey, in Mexico. Who would’ve imagined? At 39, I’m playing in a new culture, at a different pace… but with the same passion.
I don’t run the same. But I love this game like the first day. Every minute on the pitch is a gift. Because I know there’s not much time left. But as long as I have strength, I’ll give it everything.“I’m not eternal. But I’m one of those who die standing.” –