Former Real Madrid defender, Sergio Ramos has claimed that before he left the Spanish club for Paris Saint Germain last summer, he consulted with former FC Barcelona players Neymar and Lionel Messi.
Recall that Sergio Ramos joined Real Madrid on August 31, 2005, from Sevilla for a transfer fee worth €27 million. After a successful 15 years at Real Madrid, the club failed to offer him a two-year deal when his contract expired on June 30, 2021.
Hence, the 35-year-old Spanish legendary defender had no choice but to look for a top European club that was willing to offer him a two-year deal that he wanted. In a short while, it was announced that PSG has offered Ramos a two-year contract.
Before Ramos signed for the French club, Lionel Messi had left FC Barcelona for PSG. The two-year deal the 34-year-old Argentine football icon signed with PSG reunited him with Neymar who used to be his strike partner at Barca.
Though Neymar and Lionel Messi used to be Sergio Ramos’ rivals in Spain especially whenever FC Barcelona faced Real Madrid in any football competition, that did not hinder the Spanish defender from discussing with them before he joined them at PSG.
The Spain international said the fact that he was able to reach out to Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Keylor Navas who he described as a brother, helped him to settle down well in Paris.
“PSG are the team to beat,” Ramos told PSG’s official club media according to Diario AS. “With the project it has and the players it’s signed. But now we have to prove it.
“That means earning our crest, proving that we’re a good team with good players. And that has to be done on the pitch. We’re working well at the moment and we’re going to try to win all the titles. PSG are a great team, even though it doesn’t have many years of history. It’s a unique sporting project and all players want to come here.
“[The process of signing for PSG] was fine. Before signing my contract I had already talked to the other players, including Leo [Messi], Keylor, who’s like a brother. We had already talked about it before. Also with Neymar [Junior] and other teammates. The reception has been extraordinary, making my adaption much easier.”
Since Sergio Ramos joined PSG, the former Real Madrid captain has played just five games due to fitness issues. He scored his first league goal for the French club on Sunday, January 23, in PSG’s 4-0 win over Reims.
😍 𝗦𝗘𝗥𝗚𝗜𝗢 😍
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) January 24, 2022
Enjoy @SergioRamos's first goal for @PSG_English! ❤💙#PSGSDR pic.twitter.com/0HXy6kYtAF
The 35-year-old Spanish defender is not only trying to stamp his authority at PSG, but he is also trying to get back to Spain’s national team ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Before he lost his reckoning in the national team, Sergio Ramos who made his debut for the country on March 26, 2005, made 180 appearances in which he scored 23 goals.
The contract between PSG and the 35-year-old veteran defender will expire on June 30, 2023. If he is still as active as expected, PSG might give him a year contract extension before his current contract expires.
