4 facts you need to know about Real Madrid and Spain's Sergio Ramos
Sergio Ramos is one of the most recognisable defenders in world football. He’s a cult figure, a leader both on and off the pitch for Real Madrid and has the kind of following that could rival global superstars in Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
And he’s always in the news – good or bad – for his contributions to his club with his manager, Zinedine Zidane, also claiming that he’s the most emblematic Spanish professional footballer today. That's a big praise who shares the national team dressing room with the likes of Andres Iniesta, Gerard Pique, Diego Costa and more.
But there's so much more that meets the eye when it comes to the 30-year-old. Here are four facts you might not have known about Sergio Ramos:
#1 Record-breaking youngster
When Sergio Ramos rose to fame with his first full season with Sevilla, he was catching the attention of multiple clubs around the world. And towards the end of the 2004-2005 season, he was given the chance to represent his national side Spain.
He made his debut for Spain in March of 2005 against China in a routine 3-0 win. At the time, he was 18 years and 361 days old making him the youngest ever player to represent La Roja for 55 years. Ramos has since lost that record to Cesc Fabregas but his inclusion into the squad was a win for a host of talented young footballers in Spain.
Ramos was even awarded the La Liga Breakthrough Player of the Year for the year 2005 for his performances for Sevilla and for Real Madrid for the 2005-2006 season.