Highly decorated Spanish defender Sergio Ramos retires from international football

Paris Saint Germain’s defender Sergio Ramos has announced his retirement from international football at the age of 36.

With 180 Caps for Spain, he was one of the most established members of the Spanish squad. He won the World Cup with Spain in 2010 alongside Andreas Iniesta and Xavi.

Ramos scored 17 goals throughout his career, which made him Europe’s highest-scoring international defender.

Ramos, who made his Spain debut aged just 18 in 2013, becoming the nation’s youngest player to ever reach 100 caps, took to his Instagram page to announce his exit: “ The time has come, the time to say goodbye to the National Team, our beloved and exciting Red.

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”.

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He added, “With great regret, it is the end of a journey that I hoped would be longer and that would end with a better taste in the mouth, on the height of all the successes we have achieved with our Red”.

Ramos expressed his sadness at retiring not because he couldn’t offer more to the team but because of his age.

“Humbly, I think that that 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”, said Ramos.

Ramos added: “will continue to cheer on my country from home with the thrill of the privileged who has been able to proudly represent it 180 times. Heartfelt thanks to everyone who always believed in me!”.