Sergio Ramos reaches 150 caps for Spain: six of his best appearances

Published on: 24 March 2018

The FC crew break down the 1-1 draw between Germany and Spain and how both proved they are among the primary contenders for the World Cup. Thomas Muller and Rodrigo scored as Germany and Spain played to a 1-1 draw in a friendly in Düsseldorf.

Sergio Ramos made his 150th international appearance when captaining Spain in Friday evening's 1-1 friendly draw against Germany in Dusseldorf, a tremendous achievement by any means and one that has seen quite a few high points along the way.

Good morning! Tonight's friendly against Germany will be a landmark occasion for @SergioRamos who will gain his 150th cap for Spain. Today's front cover of AS: pic.twitter.com/48WjKSb2AO

— AS English (@English_AS) March 23, 2018

Ramos' first 149 senior caps brought 113 wins, 18 draws and 18 defeats along with 13 goals scored and winner's medals at Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012.

We've chosen these six of those games to highlight just what an adventure it has been.

Cap 1: Spain 3-0 China, Salamanca, friendly, March 26, 2005

Ramos' first senior international was as a half-time substitute in a 3-0 friendly win over China in Salamanca four days before the then-Sevilla youngster turned 19. "My legs weren't shaking," the confident kid told reporters after becoming the youngest player to make their Spain debut in the past 50 years.

The athletic teenager immediately established himself as Spain's starting right-back under coach Luis Aragones, scoring twice in a 6-0 win over San Marino that October. Now at Real Madrid, he played all four games at the following year's World Cup finals in Germany, where La Roja were eliminated in the round of 16 by France.

Cap 27: Denmark 1-3 Spain, Aarhus, Euro 2008 qualifier, Oct. 13, 2007

Spain's Euro 2008 qualifying campaign did not start well, with a 3-2 defeat in Northern Ireland, leading Aragones to make radical changes. Ramos kept his place but the team's style evolved quickly, with "little guys" Xavi Hernandez, David Silva and Andres Iniesta increasingly influential.

Not everybody immediately agreed, however, and prickly character Aragones was still rowing with the local media ahead of the crunch date late in the campaign away in Denmark.

Spain were already 1-0 ahead when a 28-pass move, lasting 75 seconds and involving all but one of the outfield players, was finished off by the overlapping right-back lifting the ball over Denmark keeper Thomas Sorensen. The goal is now remembered by many as the moment Spain fell in love with "tiqui-taca."

Nine months later, La Roja beat Germany 1-0 in Vienna to claim their first international trophy in 44 years, and the most glorious era in their footballing history had begun.

Cap 67: Spain 1-0 Netherlands, Johannesburg, World Cup 2010 final, July 11, 2010

Although mostly a centre-back with Madrid by this point, new national coach Vicente Del Bosque kept Ramos at right-back for the 2010 World Cup. He played 647 minutes of their 660 in total in South Africa, as a water-tight defence conceded just two goals in seven games.

That defensive work, along with attacking raids that included a couple of shots on target in the 1-0 final win over the Netherlands, saw him recognised by FIFA's official statisticians as the tournament's "most influential and effective player."

During the celebrations on the pitch in Johannesburg, he and teammate Jesus Navas took a moment to remember their former Sevilla colleague Antonio Puerta, whose No. 15 jersey Ramos continues to wear for La Seleccion in memory of his deceased friend.

Sergio Ramos was the king of the 2010 World Cup despite playing at right-back again for Spain.

Cap 97: Spain 0-0 Portugal (4-2 on penalties), Donetsk, Euro 2012 semifinal, June 27, 2012

By Euro 2012, Ramos was in his favoured position at centre-back alongside his blaugrana alter-ego, Gerard Pique. The semifinal brought a clash with Madrid colleague Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal team, with neither side able to score through 120 minutes.

This immediately brought back memories of Ramos' blazing penalty miss for his club in the previous April's Champions League semifinal shootout against Bayern Munich. But he nevertheless volunteered to take the fourth spot-kick and surprised everyone with a very, very cool "panenka" finish. "I'd planned it in advance, I won't lie," he said after receiving the man-of-the-match award. "It was a risk, of course, but it went great for me."

Ramos' swagger may even have unnerved Portugal's next taker, Bruno Alves, whose penalty hit the crossbar. Cesc Fabregas sent Spain through to the final, where they hammered Italy 4-0 to win a third straight international trophy.

Cap 100: Spain 1-1 Finland, Gijon, World Cup qualifier, March 22, 2013

Early in World Cup 2014 qualifying, Ramos became the youngest European to reach 100 caps for his country. Still just 27, he was named captain for the game against group outsiders Finland and marked the occasion by heading in his ninth goal for his country just after half-time.

Ramos then was, however, one of the defenders caught out when the Finns surprisingly equalised through Teemu Pukki with 10 minutes remaining, for a result that appeared to confirm how Del Bosque's previously all-conquering side had lost their way. "It is a special moment personally, but the result is a pity," he said afterward.

Cap 136: Belgium 0-2 Spain, Brussels, friendly, Sept. 1, 2016

One of new coach Julen Lopetegui's first acts upon taking over as Spain coach post Euro 2016 was to hand the captain's armband full time to Ramos. The first game of the new regime was a 2-0 friendly win over Roberto Martinez's Belgium in Brussels, and the new skipper played nine of the 10 qualifiers as Spain sailed through ahead of Italy to the finals.

Former captain Iker Casillas' Spanish record of 167 caps is now within reach for Ramos, who is still only 31 years old.

"I still love representing my country, which is one of the most beautiful things a footballer can do," Ramos said this week. "You look back and see what you've achieved and that's great, but I want to carry on winning and achieving new goals. Hopefully, I can stay here a while longer and go on to become the all-time appearance holder for Spain."

Dermot Corrigan is a Madrid-based football writer who covers La Liga and the Spain national team for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter @dermotmcorrigan

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Source: espn.co.uk

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