Angel Valdes | February 23, 2023
Through his social networks, Sergio Ramos announced his retirement from the Spanish National Team at the age of 36.
The current Paris Saint Germain player, defended the Spain shirt since 2004 where he won the Under 19 European Title, the Euro Cup and managed to win two Euro Cups in 2008 and 2012, his greatest achievement being the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
«The time has come, the time to say goodbye to the National Team, our dear and exciting Red. This morning I received a call from the current Coach who told me that he does not count and that he is not going to count on me, regardless of the level he can show or how I continue my sports career.
With great regret, it is the end of a journey that I hoped would be longer and that it would end with a better taste in the mouth, on a par with all the successes we have achieved with our Red. I humbly believe that this trajectory deserved to end due to a personal decision or because my performance was not up to what our National Team deserves, but not due to age or other reasons that, without having heard them, I have felt. Because being young or less young is not a virtue or a defect, it is just a temporary characteristic that is not necessarily related to performance or ability. I look with admiration and envy at Modric, Messi, Pepe… the essence, tradition, values, meritocracy and justice in football.
Unfortunately it will not be like that for me, because football is not always fair and football is never just football.
For all this, I assume it with this sadness that I want to share with you, but also with my head held high and very grateful for all these years and for all your support. I take with me indelible memories, all the titles we have fought for and celebrated together, and the tremendous pride of being the Spanish player with the most caps. This shield, this shirt and these fans, all of you, have made me happy. I will continue to cheer on my country from home with the emotion of the privileged person who has been able to proudly represent it 180 times. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all of you who always believed in me!”
He placed on his social networks to say goodbye to his team.
