Real Madrid legend and Spain's most experienced and capped footballer Sergio Ramos has announced his retirement from international football after a phone call with the national team's new manager Luis de la Fuente. It is pertinent to note that Ramos played a crucial role in Spain's FIFA World Cup and Euro Cup winning sides. He is currently associated with the Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
"The time has come, the time to say goodbye to the National Team, our beloved and exciting Red," Ramos wrote in his retirement statement on social media.
"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," he added.
The decision does not come as a surprise as the team management had already started to look beyond the veteran with 180 international matches to his credit and he wasn't even considered for a place in the side for Euro 2020 or the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar despite having contributed to Spain's triumphs in the FIFA World Cup 2010 as well as Euro 2010 and Euro 2012 after having first donned the national colours in 2005.
After Spain were knocked out of the World Cup in the middle east following a stunning loss to Morocco, their manager Luis Henrique stepped down. And now before their new manager Luis de la Fuente took charge, he informed the 36-year-old that the defender would not be in his plans moving forward.
"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 added in his note.
"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," he stated.
“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.
“Unfortunately it won’t be like that for me, because football is not always fair and football is never just football. Through it all I take it with this sadness that I want to share with you, but also with my head very high and very grateful for all these years and for all your support.
“I take back indelible memories, all the titles we have fought and celebrated all together and the tremendous pride of being the Spanish player with the most internationalities. This shield, this shirt and this fan, all of you have made me happy.
“I 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!”