Sergio Ramos has spoken out about his feelings for his former club Sevilla, admitting that the backlash from his move to Real Madrid has left him emotionally hurt.
In 2005, the veteran centre-back made the switch from his boyhood club to Los Blancos, where he has experienced near-unrivaled domestic and continental success, as well as World Cup glory with the Spanish national team, which he captains.
However, the manner in which the defender left Andalusia has left an indelible mark on both the player and his former club, with both Ramos and Sevilla blaming each other for his departure – though the former acknowledges that the latter remains in his heart amid all the “lies.”
What Sergio Ramos said
In his Amazon documentary The Legend of Sergio Ramos, the centre-back said,
“I know what Sevilla is and how the fans feel. Nobody can tell me, because I’ve experienced it since I was young.
“All of the information was manipulated, and they lied to Sevilla. It was painful, not only for me but for my family. I’ll never forgive them for the pain my grandparents went through, for my parents, who cannot return to Sevilla’s stadium.
“I’ve made mistakes in my life and one of the biggest was not coming out publicly to explain [the move]. I let others tell the story for me.
“My signing was fully agreed between the clubs; it wasn’t Real Madrid meeting a clause, as it was said to have been. That meant the fans didn’t give me the same affection that I’ve always had and always will have for the club.”
Ramos acknowledges that, in retrospect, he wishes he had been more forthcoming about his exit, but that he has no regrets about moving to Madrid at the time he did.
“I’d make the same decision a thousand times over, but I’d never let anyone tell the story that was told at the time,” he added.
“To this day I can always say that I’ve played for Sevilla and that I’ll always be a Sevilla player until I die, but I can also say proudly that I’m Real Madrid and Spain captain.”