Spain’s most‑capped player, Sergio Ramos, has explained why he is retiring from the national team. The 36‑year‑old Paris Saint‑Germain defender, who won the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships, has not played for Spain since March 2021. He cited a lack of playing time and his exclusion from new coach Luis de la Fuente’s plans as the main reasons for his decision.
Ramos missed Euro 2021 because of injury, and the final years of his international career did not go as he had hoped. He was left out of Spain’s squad for the 2022 World Cup by former manager Luis Enrique, who was dismissed after the quarter‑final loss to Morocco. When de la Fuente was appointed after the Qatar tournament, rumours suggested Ramos might be recalled for upcoming fixtures. However, Ramos says the coach called him and made it clear he would not be counted on, regardless of his club performances. This conversation convinced Ramos that his time with Spain was over, prompting his retirement announcement.
He announced his retirement on his verified Instagram on Thursday, writing: “The time has come, the time to say ‘goodbye’ to our beloved and exciting national team. This morning, I received the call from the current coach who told me that he doesn’t and will not count on me, regardless of the level I can show or how I continue my sports career.” The Spanish FA confirmed to Reuters that the discussion between de la Fuente and Ramos took place on Thursday, but offered no further details.
Ramos added, “Humbly, I think that my path deserved to end because of my personal decision or if my performance was not up to the level that our national team deserves, but not because of age or other reasons. 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.” He expressed admiration for players such as Luka Modrić, Lionel Messi and Pepe, noting the “essence, tradition, values, meritocracy and justice in football.” He concluded, “Unfortunately, it will not happen to me because football is not always fair and football is never only about football.”
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