5 reasons why Sergio Ramos is the best defender in the world

Sergio Ramos is perhaps the most famous defender in the world right now. After his performance in the final of the Champions League against Liverpool, the Spain captain incurred the wrath of the majority of the football fraternity because of his actions in the game.

At first, a hard foul on Mohamed Salah ended the Egyptian’s night and then an elbow to Lorius Karius apparently induced a concussion. Although the intent can never truly be deduced accurately, Ramos has regardless faced the inferno of the masses due to his rough style of play.

But make no mistake here: defensively, Ramos was astute throughout the game. While the former Sevilla star can, at times, be a liability due to his hot head and the subsequent proneness to earning yellow and/or red cards, he can never truly be counted off from a game.

Ahead of the World Cup, many are talking about the dark side of his game. This slideshow, however, appreciates and acknowledges him as the best defender in the world because of these five reasons…

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#5 Consistent at top level

Sergio Ramos has been playing at the top level for as long as anyone can remember. Considering this, 32 is a young age for someone who has been around since 2004. Busting into the scene as a young and aggressive fullback at Sevilla, he joined Real Madrid in 2005 and became an instant hit with the Madridistas.

After playing the initial part of his Madrid career as a right-back, Sergio Ramos shifted to the centre under Jose Mourinho and has been there ever since. This is a man that has been the first choice defender for Real Madrid for over a decade – and, in itself, is something special.

The fact that he is the longest-serving member and the captain of the club proves what an important figure he is for the club. A lot of defenders have come and gone in the meantime, but Ramos stood the test of time and not only established himself as the captain of the most successful club in the world but also one of the best centre-backs in Europe of this era.

#4 Versatile

Ramos was a right-back initially

As mentioned earlier, Ramos started his career at right-back. In his journey from the youngster at Sevilla to the captain of Real Madrid, he has played in a number of positions.

From emergency striker to a roaming libero, Ramos has done it all. While he might not have been super-amazing in all the positions that he was tried in, he was almost always a decent option.

At centre-back – and right-back, too – he is a fine player that can make a real difference for his side. And not just as a defender but also an attacker as he…

#3 Scores important goals

Cannavaro regards Ramos highly

One of the reasons why he is different from the other defenders is that he can score some crucial goals for his team. It is for this reason why Fabio Cannavaro lauds the Spaniard while speaking to FIFA.com.

The former Ballon d’Or winning defender said: “…He surpassed all expectations [after being shifted to the centre of defence from right-back] because besides being a great defender, he also scores a lot of goals – and that is always nice.”

While a defender may be judged by his ability to defend, given that Ramos can do that very well already, he has the bonus that no other defender in the current time of football provides: a genuine scoring threat.

#2 Big-game player

Ramos was a rock against Liverpool

There is simply no better defender than Sergio Ramos on a night when Real Madrid have a big game and need to deliver. The Spaniard is always up there putting out his best performance to ensure that his team don’t lose.

And more often than not, he succeeds.

Against Juventus and then Bayern Munich, Sergio Ramos did exceedingly well in the first legs but was on the wrong end of things in the second legs, respectively. However, he still managed to hold his own despite not being at his best and made sure that his team didn’t choke at the dying stages of the clash.

In the final of the Champions League against Liverpool, leaving aside all the controversy, the Spanish captain put in a great shift that closed all the doors for the Reds.

It is his charisma in the biggest of stages that also help his image as one of the finest centre-backs ever.

#1 Elite mentality of a serial winner

Real Madrid Celebrate After Victory In The Champions League Final Against Liverpool

For some, football is a game of the mind. The one who has the strongest mind wins. The fact that Sergio Ramos is receiving so much hate from Liverpool fans and yet he poses himself as indifferently as ever shows how much strength and character he possesses.

This mentality not only makes him a hard defender to get the better off, it also allows him to overcome the mental blocks and think like a winner. It is of little wonder that Sergio Ramos is the most successful captain of Real Madrid since the turn of the millennium.

Under his headstrong leadership, the Blancos have won three Champions League titles and one La Liga title along with countless more Super Cups and Club World Cups.

This is just testament to the elite winner’s mentality that he has. There have not been many defenders that have had to face as much embarrassment and hate like Sergio Ramos does.

And yet, despite many forwards getting the better of him, he comes back even stronger and, at the end of the day, has more trophies than those forwards.