Sevilla defender and Spanish football legend Sergio Ramos was pictured alongside former teammate Gérard Pique's ex-partner Shakira in Seville, setting tongues wagging. The former Real Madrid man was making his first high-profile public appearance since returning to Spain in the summer.
Sergio Ramos joined Sevilla as a free agent in the summer after his contract with French champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) reached its end. Being an icon in Seville, the 37-year-old was selected to hand out the award for the Song of the Year at the 2023 Latin Grammy awards in Seville.
Shakira won the award with her diss track aimed at ex-partner Gérard Pique titled "Shakira: Bzrp Music Sessions, Vol. 53". The song garnered over 15 million streams in just 24 hours, and the video on YouTube has over 55 million views, a record for a Spanish song.
Sergio Ramos handed the award to Shakira, after which he took a picture with the musician. Shakira and Pique, who was Ramos' bitter rival at club level, separated in 2022 after nearly 13 years and two children together.
Fans on X reacted to seeing Ramos with Pique's ex, taking the opportunity to mock the retired defender for how things turned out with him.
Here are some of the reactions:
Sergio Ramos and Gérard Pique were rivals at club level but teammates for the Spanish national team. Pique hung up his boots a year ago to enter football business.
Sergio Ramos, the Spanish colossus
For many years, Sergio Ramos was the top dog in defense for both club and country, with his influence unmatched on either side. He was the rock at the back for Real Madrid, captaining arguably the most dominant side Europe has ever seen.
Ramos famously pulled Real Madrid back from the brink in the 2014 UEFA Champions League final and did the same for Spain in multiple games. The defender left Real Madrid after injury problems began to set in, preventing him from playing regularly.
PSG signed Ramos in 2021, the same window in which they signed Lionel Messi, Gianluigi Donnarumma and a host of others. The Spaniard rediscovered his fitness before leaving in 2023 after two years at the club.
This season, Ramos has been a good option for Sevilla since joining them for free in the summer. He turned down offers from Saudi Arabia and the MLS to return to Seville, where he left in 2005.
Ramos has seven appearances under his belt so far this season at the Estadio Ramos Sanchez Pizjuan. The veteran defender signed a one-year deal with the club. He may choose to retire after this season.