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Everything you need to know about the Spanish superstar!

Sergio Ramos was born on March 30, 1986, in Camas, Seville, Spain. He began his football career playing for the youth team of his local club, FC Camas, before joining the Sevilla FC academy at the age of 14.

He made his professional debut for Sevilla in February 2004 and quickly established himself as one of Spain's most promising young defenders. In August 2005, he was signed by Real Madrid for a then-record fee.

Ramos is known for his aggressive and physical style of play and his ability to score goals from set pieces. He has scored over 100 goals in his career, making him one of the highest-scoring defenders in the history of the sport.

In addition to his success with Real Madrid, Ramos has had a highly successful international career with the Spanish national team. He won the FIFA World Cup and two UEFA European Championships and is the most-capped player in the history of Spanish football. In 2023, the veteran defender announced his retirement from international football.

Ramos has also been involved in several philanthropic efforts throughout his career. He has worked with various charitable organizations, including UNICEF, and has donated money to help fund medical research and provide assistance to those in need.

But what are the 13 things you absolutely need to know about the defender?

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  Was the most expensive Spanish teenager at one point

  Sergio Ramos was the most expensive Spanish teenager in history at the time of his transfer to Real Madrid from Sevilla in 2005. The transfer fee was reported to be €27 million, which was a record-breaking amount for a Spanish teenager.

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• Nicknamed after famous German footballer

  As a child, Ramos played up front and was nicknamed ‘Bernd Schuster’ after the great German goal scorer by the friends he played with on the grass outside his apartment block. He’d go on to play in defence throughout his career, at right-back and center-back, but has maintained his brilliant goalscoring ability. Coincidentally, he was even coached by Schuster at Real Madrid between 2007 and 2008.

• Avid horse enthusiast

  Ramos has a horse named Yucatan de Ramos, which he acquired in 2016. The horse is a grey stallion and is known for its agility and speed. Ramos is an avid horse enthusiast and has been known to participate in equestrian events and competitions. Yucatan won a world championship at the 2018 International PRE Horse Fair, recognising it as the finest pure-bred Spanish horse in the world.

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  Most-capped Spanish footballer

  Ramos is Spain's most-capped footballer of all time. He made his debut for the Spanish national team in 2005 and went on to earn 180 caps over the course of his career. During that time, he helped Spain win the UEFA European Championship twice (in 2008 and 2012) and the FIFA World Cup once (in 2010). His 180 caps for Spain surpassed the previous record held by Iker Casillas.

Former Hibernian man and now pundit Tam McManus has admitted he’d ‘be very surprised’ if Celtic didn’t try to bring goalkeeper Ofir Marciano to Parkhead this summer.

The Lowdown: Celtic’s interest

Celtic have been linked with the 31-year-old in recent months. Reports back in March suggested that the Hoops were monitoring the Israel international following their goalkeeping woes this season.

The Hoops have used summer signing Vasilis Barkas, Scott Bain and youngster Conor Hazard during the current campaign, with none of the three exactly establishing themselves as first-choice at Parkhead.

Marciano, who has been with Hibs since 2017, is out of contract in a matter of months and it looks as if the shot-stopper is a man in demand ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

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The Latest: Marciano ‘has offers in Scotland’

Edinburgh Evening News were informed from a source close to the player that the goalkeeper ‘has offers in Scotland’, with Marciano already reportedly rejecting a return to his native country with Hapoel Be’er Sheva.

McManus gave his thoughts to the news on Twitter, saying:

“I’d be very surprised if Celtic didn’t try and get Marciano on a free. Can count on one hand the mistakes he has made at Hibs in 4-5 years. He is a better goalkeeper than any currently at Celtic IMO.”

The Verdict: One must go

Should Celtic firm up their recent interest in Marciano with a view to signing him on a free transfer, we feel as if one of Barkas, Bain or Hazard would need to make way.

Having four senior shot-stoppers to pick from could be too much for the new Hoops manager. Barkas only signed last year in a deal worth £4.5m and Hazard recently signed a new Celtic deal.

On that basis, should the Hoops want to stick with the big-money signing and young prospect, perhaps Bain could be the man to leave.

Celtic may not even be on the search for a new goalkeeper, but McManus would be very surprised if they didn’t make their move for Marciano, so it could be a move worth keeping an eye on.

In other news: ‘We hear’ – 62 y/o drops unconfirmed ‘done deal’ claim at Celtic, find out more here. 

A testing trip to Elland Road posed plenty of challenges for Mikel Arteta’s side, but they came through them all with flying colours

A power cut and Patrick Bamford penalty threatened to ruin Arsenal’s trip to Leeds, but Bukayo Saka ensured the Gunners would not be left in the dark.

Mikel Arteta’s men remain at the top of the Premier League table, with 27 points to their name, after edging an entertaining encounter with Jesse Marsch’s Whites which had a bit of everything.

Arsenal have now taken nine wins from 10 top-flight fixtures this season, with Manchester United the only side to have found a way of disrupting what has been serene progress from the north London outfit.

Leeds posed them plenty of problems, on and off the field, but this Gunners team are made of stern stuff and continue to show that they have plenty of graft to go with the guile.

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  The Winners

  Bukayo Saka:

  Saka has now scored in his last three appearances across all competitions, and is enjoying a serious purple patch. Having bagged a match-winning brace against Liverpool and his decisive strike at Bodo/Glimt, Saka was at it again versus Leeds. A bizarre cross-field pass from Rodrigo gifted possession to Martin Odegaard, who rolled a perfectly-weighted pass into the path of Saka to crash high into the roof of the net from a tight angle – with his right foot, no less!

  Martin Odegaard:

  There appears to be multiple versions of the Norwegian midfielder on the pitch at times, as he pops up absolutely everywhere. The Arsenal captain looks to lead by example and was full of clever touches and quick feet in West Yorkshire. He moves the ball so well and most of the Gunners’ best work goes through him – with Saka’s goal teed up by his skipper. Fired in plenty of strikes himself, most of which were from distance, and poses a threat anywhere inside the opposition half.

  Aaron Ramsdale:

  Looks to be have nailed down his spot in England’s plans for the 2022 World Cup, with there a chance he could be given the No.1 shirt by the Three Lions. Has earned plenty of plaudits for his distribution, but remains a fine shot-stopper as well. Pulled off a few smart saves against Leeds, in both halves, and going the right way may have forced Bamford to drag his penalty a little wider than he intended as he realised that the bottom corner would have to be found.

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  The Losers

  Match officials:

  There was less than a minute on the clock when this eagerly-anticipated encounter and vibrant atmosphere were brought to a shuddering halt. Referee Chris Kavanagh was unable to communicate with his fellow officials, meaning that play was suspended for around 40 minutes. Those in attendance made their feelings clear about VAR, with Premier League stadiums enduring a testing weekend on the technology front following a PA system failure at St James’ Park ahead of the opening game in the Rugby League World Cup.

  Centre-halves:

  Another clean sheet for the Gunners, with stability at the back serving them well, but their centre-half pairing endured a rare nervy afternoon against Leeds. Gabriel Magalhaes rarely looks comfortable in possession and was a tad fortunate to see a Patrick Bamford effort early in the second half ruled out for a slight nudge. William Saliba then presented the Leeds No.9 with a sight of goal moments later, which was snuffed out by Aaron Ramsdale, before conceding a penalty for handball on the hour mark which Bamford fired wide. Gabriel was then shown a stoppage-time red card, after tangling with Bamford again, though that was rescinded following a VAR review.

  Takehiro Tomiyasu:

  With Oleksandr Zinchenko ruled out through injury at present, Tomiyasu has been asked to fill an unnatural role at left-back. More at home on the right of a back four, Tomiyasu initially caught the eye when the tactical experiment was implemented against Liverpool. He looked less comfortable when charged with the task of containing Leeds’ boundless energy, though, enduring a few nervy moments that required defensive colleagues to dig him out of the odd hole. Kieran Tierney eventually came on to provide balance.

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  Arsenal Ratings: Defence

  Aaron Ramsdale (7/10):

  Did his bit in the securing of a shut-out with a collection of smart stops.

  Ben White (6/10):

  Enjoyed a relatively quiet afternoon against his former loan employers.

  William Saliba (6/10):

  Conceded a penalty and looked uncharacteristically nervy at times.

  Gabriel Magalhaes (5/10):

  Never looked entirely comfortable and could easily have seen his late red card stand.

  Takehiro Tomiyasu (6/10):

  Looked uncomfortable at left-back and was eventually shifted to the right.

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  Midfield

  Thomas Partey (6/10):

  Did his job of sitting deep and reinforcing the defence, particularly in the second half.

  Granit Xhaka (7/10):

  Finds space between the lines so well and can always be relied upon to get stuck in.

  Martin Odegaard (8/10):

  Such a classy operator and remains the man to make Arteta’s side tick.

Leeds could make an exciting move this summer by signing Stuttgart forward Nicolas Gonzalez.

What’s the story?

Reports over last summer’s transfer window suggested that Marcelo Bielsa’s side were very much interested in bringing the Argentina international to Elland Road from Bundesliga side Stuttgart, but a deal failed to materialise before the end of the deadline.

Now, Get German Football News editor-in-chief Daniel Pinder has exclusively told FFC that Gonzalez’s arrival at Elland Road this summer would help create an “exciting” attack for Marcelo Bielsa.

He said: “It’s that thing of, you’ve got Raphinha and potentially Gonzalez on the other wing and Bamford up front. And with their fast direct play up front, them interchanging, it would be an exciting time to be a Leeds fan if they signed Nicolas Gonzalez.”

Imagine him and Raphinha

With his ability to play up front and out wide on the left, the £22.5m-rated Gonzalez could form an outstanding duo with Raphinha on the right-hand side.

While the Brazilian can bring a bit of creativity and skill, the 23-year-old Gonzalez is more of an inside forward, with a real clinical edge.

This season has seen him score six goals and provide a further two assists in just 15 Bundesliga games, while his average of 3.3 shots per game actually ranks him third among all players in the division.

Gonzalez’s eye for goal would go a long way to easing the burden on Patrick Bamford’s shoulders, while Raphinha will enjoy trying to set up someone who’s “always looking to get in behind, and is strong in the one-on-ones”.

And judging by the kind of mentality he is, he appears to be a perfect fit for Bielsa’s side.

Stuttgart’s head coach, Pellegrino Matarazzo, said of him: “He’s got a lot of qualities, but what I like best about him is that he’s a winner. He wants to win at all costs. He always gives 100 percent, and gets stuck in. He’s very important for us.”

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Gonzalez’s versatility would tick two key boxes for Bielsa, namely, an elite wide player to go along with Raphinha, and also someone who can provide Bamford with some much-needed competition up front too.

Meanwhile, Leeds should land this “exceptional” English striker…

Paul Pogba returned to Juventus after six years…

Serie A giants Juventus completed the signing of Paul Pogba on a free transfer as the French midfielder returned to the club after spending six years at Manchester United.

Pogba left Juventus as the world's most expensive player in the summer of 2016 when Manchester United paid a then world record fee of £89 million to sign him.

The French midfielder won two trophies (Europa League and the EFL Cup) in six years with the Red Devils. He was deemed a flop at Old Trafford primarily due to his inconsistency despite the club paying a hefty amount to acquire his services.

As the 29-year-old will hope to regain his past form and help Juventus reclaim their lost glory, we take a look at the top five worst performances of Pogba as a Manchester United player.

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  Liverpool (2016/17)

  Date: 15/1/2017

  Competition: Premier League

  Paul Pogba turned villain for Manchester United in this all-important Premier League clash against their arch-rivals Liverpool after he handled the ball inside the box while trying to intercept a corner directed towards Dejan Lovren.

  From the resulting penalty, the Reds took the lead in the 27th minute of the match. Thankfully Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored the equalising goal in the 84th minute to rescue one point for the home side.

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  Crystal Palace (2020/21)

  Date: 19/9/2020

  Competition: Premier League

  Both Pogba and Manchester United had a nightmare start to the 2020/21 season as the Red Devils lost 3-1 at the Old Trafford against Crystal Palace. The Frenchman was kept in the starting lineup by then coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer but he was forced to pull him out in the 67th minute due to poor performance.

  Pogba hardly had any role to play in the game and was seen losing the ball at the centre of the park on quite a few occassions. It was Pogba's replacement Donny van de Beek who scored the consolation goal for the hosts.

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  Leicester City (2021/22)

  Date: 16/10/2021

  Competition: Premier League

  One of his worst performances in a Manchester United shirt came against Leicester City during the 2021/22 Premier League season. Paul Pogba lost the ball 12 times, committed six fouls and even picked up a booking as Manchester United lost 4-2 against Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

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  Atletico Madrid (2021/22)

  Date: 23/2/2022

  Competition: UEFA Champions League

  Pogba was not up to the mark in Manchester United's UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg tie against Atletico Madrid. The entire Man United midfield which consisted of players like Fred, Pogba and Bruno Fernandes failed to make any impact as Atletico dictated terms throughout the game. Atletico took the lead in the seventh minute of the match and Anthony Elanga equalised in the second half.

  Pogba's performance in the first leg was so poor that then manager Ralf Rangnick had to drop him from the starting lineup in the second leg tie which they lost 1-0 (2-1) and were ousted from the competition.

According to a report from the Evening Standard, Chelsea will want in the region of £40 million for striker Tammy Abraham – coming after ExWHUemployee’s recent big claim that he is now West Ham United’s number one forward target.

Indeed, West Ham are still keen on Abraham and especially if manager David Moyes does the previously unthinkable and guides his side to a Champions League place.

GSB told asking price for Abraham

However, the report also suggests that the Irons will face competition from Serie A giants AC Milan for Abraham’s signature – dealing a possible blow in their hopes of landing the Englishman.

As well as this, Chelsea will demand a £40 million asking price due to the fact manager Thomas Tuchel wants to bring in ‘at least’ one top class striker this summer.

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Romelu Lukaku, Sergio Aguero and Erling Haaland are on the west London side’s shortlist of targets but the club will aim for a financial bolster with the £40m sale of Abraham.

Transfer Tavern take

Given his age, the fact he is homegrown and his goal record over the past two seasons – we believe it is no surprise he is West Ham’s priority striking target, per the reliable ExWHUemployee.

In the Premier League alone, he has bagged a consistent 21 goals in 37 starts since the beginning of 2019/2020 (WhoScored) – as well as being dubbed a ‘phenomenal player’ recently by former Scotland manager Alex McLeish (Football Insider).

However, as GSB are told it will take £40m to sign the forward, West Ham may need to invest heavily as they also aim to clinch a permanent deal for star loanee Jesse Lingard.

With Lingard’s price only going upwards thanks to his incredible form, we feel it will be difficult for Moyes to convince GSB to part with two big transfer fees for the English pair.

In other news: GSB are also ‘dreaming’ of a return for this star, find out more here.

Major League Soccer sold two of the biggest stars to ever pass through the league, and Goal looks back at how they rank with all-time DP signings

Miguel Almiron and Sebastian Giovinco, two of the most exciting and effective players in Major League Soccer history, both said goodbye to MLS on the same day, each completing transfers during what has been a busy offseason of transfers for the league.

Almiron and Giovinco leave having led their respective teams to MLS Cup titles, and with each living up to the high expectations that arrived with them. They were both high-profile designated player signings, and each dominated the league with their own unique attacking styles.

How do they measure up compared to some of the best DP signings in MLS history? You can definitely make the argument that they are two of the best DP signings ever, if not the very best. Giovinco's MVP season in 2015 was arguably the best individual season in league history, while Almiron's two-year stint with Atlanta United saw him emerge as the Five Stripes' most dangerous player.

Measuring the impact of designated player signings goes beyond wins and losses and trophies. There have been players who secured trophies, but also made a major impact in terms of marketing and boosting the visibility of teams in certain markets, as well as visibility internationally.

For the purposes of this list of top designated players, we will focus solely on players who arrived in MLS as DP signings, and excluding all players who began their MLS careers on non-DP contracts. That leaves out the likes of Landon Donovan and Bradley Wright-Phillips, among others. We are also focusing on players with multiple MLS seasons under their belts, so Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Wayne Rooney will have to wait to work their way onto this list.

Here are the top 10 best DP signings in MLS history:

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  10Thierry Henry (New York Red Bulls)

  When Henry arrived at Red Bull Arena, the New York Red Bulls had just recently moved into their new stadium, and they badly needed a star to help them rebuild their fan base. He wasn't able to help the Red Bulls end their MLS Cup drought, but he did help them win their first piece of silverware (the 2013 Supporters' Shield) and finished his five-year stint with the Red Bulls as the leading assist man in team history.

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  9Nicolas Lodeiro (Seattle Sounders)

  When the Uruguayan playmaker arrived in 2016, the Seattle Sounders were a mess, having recently fired then-coach Sigi Schmid and trying desperately to turn things around. Lodeiro helped the Sounders regroup and eventually win the 2016 MLS Cup final. Lodeiro's three-year stint in Seattle saw the Sounders return to the MLS Cup final in 2017 and reach the playoffs yet again in 2018. He has delivered 19 goals and 36 assists in regular season action for the Sounders.

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  8Juan Pablo Angel (New York Red Bulls)

  The Colombian striker was one of the league's first designated player signings, arriving in 2007, the same year David Beckham landed in Los Angeles. Though his arrival didn't bring the same level of international fanfare, Angel became a fan favorite with the New York Red Bulls by delivering goals for four straight years and helping the Red Bulls reach the MLS Cup final in 2008. He left the Red Bulls after scoring 62 goals in four seasons, a team record that stood until Bradley Wright-Phillips broke it.

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  7Josef Martinez (Atlanta United)

  No player in MLS history has had a better two-year run than Martinez, who shattered the single-season goal-scoring record, notching 31 strikes to help Atlanta United win the MLS Cup title. Martinez's 50 goals in two seasons is an unmatched run, and his status as the face of the franchise helps put him high on this list after just two seasons. If he can add a few more titles to his total, Martinez could be topping this list in a few years.

With the window in Italy having slammed shut ahead of the new top-flight campaign, Goal looks at the new faces from whom big things are expected

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  Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid to Juventus

  Five-time Ballon d'Or winner, five time Champions League winner and a domestic title winner in England and Spain, perhaps the world's finest marksman decided now was the time for him to leave Santiago Bernabeu behind and try his hand at winning the Scudetto.

  Ronaldo's move for around €100 million (£88m/$117m) sent shockwaves through the footballing world and he looks set to be the star attraction wherever he goes in Italy once the season gets under way.

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  Radja Nainggolan | Roma to Inter

  Having been surprisingly left out of Belgium's World Cup squad, Nainggolan wasted no time in plotting his next career move as he swapped Stadio Olimpico for San Siro in a deal worth an initial €38m (£33.5m/$44m).

  Having worked with Inter boss Luciano Spalletti at Roma he should need little time to settle in as he looks to bring some steel to the Nerazzurri's midfield.

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  Joao Cancelo | Valencia to Juventus

  With the full-back having impressed during a loan spell with Inter during the 2017-18 campaign, the Serie A champions decided Cancelo was the man to act as Stephan Lichtsteiner's long-term successor in Turin.

  Though €40m (£35m/$46m) may seem a lot for a 24-year-old defender who has been capped just seven times by Portugal, the Bianconeri see a lot of potential in Cancelo and expect him to flourish alongside even better players.

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  Tiemoue Bakayoko | Chelsea to AC Milan

  After a horror debut season in west London and with both Jorginho and Mateo Kovacic added to the Chelsea squad, Bakayoko is in need of a fresh start with the Rossoneri.

  Though he has initially signed on loan, the France international has the option to make the move permanent if Milan are willing to fork out €35m (£31m/$40m) at the end of the campaign.

The Reds saw their German custodian endure a nightmare evening in the Champions League final, with Jurgen Klopp now expected to dip into the market

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  Alisson

  The Brazil international is very much in vogue, with his reputation having soared during a 2017-18 campaign which saw him collect 17 clean sheets in Serie A – with only champions Juventus boasting a better defensive record than Roma. At just 25 years of age, Alisson is yet to reach his peak and would be a solid option for the present and future. Roma sporting director Monchi has claimed that he will only sanction a sale if he comes out of retirement and a “sack of money” is tabled. He may need to start clearing his desk and dusting off his gloves.

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  Gianluigi Donnarumma

  A man with 125 appearances for Italian heavyweights AC Milan under his belt is still only 19 years of age. The winner of the Goal NxGn in 2017 and runner-up this year, Donnarumma boasts scary potential which appears destined to benefit somebody outside of San Siro. Super-agent Mino Raiola is in charge of his future and has hinted on a regular basis that a big-money move is in the pipeline. The Italy international, who is seen as the natural heir to the great Gianluigi Buffon by the man himself, would be a statement of intent at Anfield.

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  Jack Butland

  If Liverpool opt to favour Premier League experience, then it may be that their search for a new goalkeeper leads them no further than Stoke. With the Potters having suffered relegation out of the top-flight in 2017-18, a cherry-picking of their top talent this summer is to be expected. Butland certainly falls into that category and may be offered a World Cup shop window in which to display his talent this summer after forming part of Gareth Southgate’s England squad. He has long been linked with Liverpool and has been talked up for a move by Reds legend Ray Clemence.

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  Jan Oblak

  The Atletico Madrid star would not come cheap, but then who does in the current transfer market? The Slovenia international is reported to have a €100 million (£87m/$118m) release clause in his contract – a price tag that his current employers are hoping to raise with the agreeing of fresh terms. Oblak has admitted to being unsure as to what the future holds for him, as interest in his services builds, but Atletico are reluctant sellers and any suitor hoping to land a 25-year-old considered to be among the best in world will need to have deep pockets.

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Rob Lee, who made 267 appearances for Newcastle United in the Premier League, admits he feels sorry for Steve Bruce because he’s just like the fans.

Many journalists, players and fans expected and thought Bruce would be relieved of his duties as Newcastle manager after their 3-0 defeat against Brighton last month, but instead he received the full backing and support of both Lee Charnley and Mike Ashley, bouncing back with four points from two games.

Bruce has experienced a turbulent season on Tyneside as they gave Sheffield United their first win of the season, required penalties to get past Newport County in the Carabao Cup before subsequently being knocked out by Championship side Brentford with ease.

Speaking on why he has sympathy for Steve Bruce at Newcastle and what fans must realise, Lee told FFC:

“He’s a Geordie and surely Newcastle fans realise that. I’m not a Geordie but I think I’m an honorary one and If you can’t play football anymore, then surely that’s your ultimate goal to manage Newcastle.

“It’s his dream job. So, regardless of what the fans say, he does have the club’s best interests at heart but like I’ve said on TV, he should have done better.”

Newcastle face a tough run of fixtures now which includes games against the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool and Leicester City.

The Magpies face Sheffield United and Fulham in their last two games of the seasons which could be where their fate is sealed.