Sergio Ramos has officially been announced as a new player in the Mexican League. The defender, who turns 39 next month, will join C.F. Monterrey, also known as Rayados, a five-times LigaMX winner, as well as five time CONCACAF Champions League winner, the last time in 2021. He will stay at the club one year.
This will likely be Ramos' final move: the centre-back started his career over two decades ago, with Sevilla, before joining Real Madrid between 2005 and 2021, winning 22 titles including five LaLiga and four Champions League titles. He then moved to Paris Saint-Germain, winning two Ligue 1, before returning to Sevilla for the 2023-24 season. With the Spanish national team, he became World Champion in 2010.
It seems that Sevilla would be his final club, as he hasn't had any club since leaving Sevilla, but still trained on his own, waiting for the right club. Turkish club Fenerbahçe, coached by José Mourinho, was close to signing him, but in the end Ramos will move to Rayados in Mexico, a club willing to accept his high salary demands: five million euros per year, captaincy, 2% on shirt sales... and a bonus for playing in the FIFA Club World Cup next summer, which will allow him to at least, play against a prestigious European club, Inter Milan, in the group stage. He will also re-join former colleagues from Real Madrid (Sergio Canales) and Sevilla (Óliver Torres, Lucas Ocampos).
His number, 93, is a tribute to the header he scored in the 93rd minute in the 2014 Champions League final against Atlético de Madrid, taking the match to added time, with Real Madrid eventually winning.