Sergio Ramos announces retirement from Spain national team

Ramos, who had last played for Spain in 2021, announced the decision on his social media on Thursday.

Spain’s Sergio Ramos celebrates after scoring the opening goal with a penalty during a Euro 2020 qualifying soccer match between Spain and Sweden. | Photo Credit: AP

Sergio Ramos announced his retirement from the Spanish national team on Thursday.

“The time has come, the time to say goodbye to the National Team, our beloved and exciting Red,” he posted on social media.

The centre-back made his debut for Spain in 2005 and earned 180 caps for La Furia Roja.

Ramos was dropped from the national set up by former coach Luis Enrique and had not made an appearance since March 2021. The new Spain manager Luis De La Fuente also informed Ramos about his decision to exclude him from the team which ultimately led to the player’s decision to retire.

“This morning I received the call from the current coach who told me that he doesn’t count and that he won’t count on me, regardless of the level I can show or how I continue my sporting career.

“Humbly, I think that (my) career deserved to end because of a personal decision or because my performance was not up to what our National Team deserves, but not because of 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 only a temporary trait 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,” Ramos added in his retirement message.

Ramos was a part of the Spain squads that won the 2010 World Cup and the Euro championships in 2008 and 2012.