Ex-Madrid Captain Sergio Ramos Signs 2-year Deal with PSG

Soccer Football - World Cup Qualifiers Europe - Group B - Spain v Greece - Los Carmenes, Granada, Spain - March 25, 2021 Spain's Sergio Ramos REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo
Soccer Football - World Cup Qualifiers Europe - Group B - Spain v Greece - Los Carmenes, Granada, Spain - March 25, 2021 Spain's Sergio Ramos REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo
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Ex-Madrid Captain Sergio Ramos Signs 2-year Deal with PSG

Soccer Football - World Cup Qualifiers Europe - Group B - Spain v Greece - Los Carmenes, Granada, Spain - March 25, 2021 Spain's Sergio Ramos REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo
Soccer Football - World Cup Qualifiers Europe - Group B - Spain v Greece - Los Carmenes, Granada, Spain - March 25, 2021 Spain's Sergio Ramos REUTERS/Jon Nazca/File Photo

Obsessed with winning the Champions League, Paris Saint-Germain added precious experience to its squad by recruiting former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos on Thursday.

The 35-year-old Ramos signed a two-year deal with PSG after Madrid preferred not to renew his contract last month.

Ramos was with the Spanish powerhouse since arriving from Sevilla in 2005 when he was 19. The central defender helped the club win 22 titles, including four Champions Leagues and five Spanish leagues. His 93rd-minute header helped secure Madrid the European trophy in 2014.

“This is a big change in my life, a new challenge and it’s a day I will never forget," The Associated Press quoted Ramos as saying.

“Paris Saint-Germain is a club that has already proven itself at the highest level. I want to continue to grow and improve at Paris and help the team to win as many trophies as possible.”

Ramos scored 101 goals in 671 matches with Madrid. He was left off Spain’s squad for the European Championship after playing sparingly this season because of knee and muscle injuries. It was the first major tournament Ramos missed since he began playing with the senior squad in 2005.

He was a member of the Spain team that won an unprecedented title hat trick at Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012.

PSG has been desperate to win Europe's biggest trophy since Qatari owners QSI took over a decade ago. The club has achieved considerable progress on the continent's biggest stage, reaching the Champions League final last year. It lost in the semifinals to Manchester City this season.

“Sergio is a complete footballer, one of the best defenders in the history of the game. He is a born competitor, a leader and a true professional. His vast experience and ambition is in perfect synergy with those of the club," PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaïfi said.

Ramos is the third player bought by PSG during the transfer window after it also secured the services of Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and Inter Milan right back Achraf Hakimi. PSG is also reportedly set to sign Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma after the European Championship.



Euro 2024: Belgium Face Slovakia to Open Group E in Clash of Italian Coaches

 Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
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Euro 2024: Belgium Face Slovakia to Open Group E in Clash of Italian Coaches

 Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)
Belgium's midfielder #07 Kevin De Bruyne takes part in a MD-1 training session during the UEFA Euro 2024 football Championship, at the team base camp in Ludwigsburg, near Stuttgart, on June 16, 2024, on the eve of their first group match against Slovakia. (AFP)

Belgium and Kevin De Bruyne face Slovakia to start their European Championship program on Monday in Group E. Also in the group are Romania and Ukraine. Kickoff in Frankfurt is at 6 p.m. local time (1600 GMT). Here’s what to know about the match.

Match facts:

— There is a strong Italian influence on the game. Slovakia coach Francesco Calzona is Italian, and was the interim coach since February at Napoli where he had been an assistant to Mauricio Sarri. Belgium’s 38-year-old coach Domenico Tedesco was born in Italy though is a citizen of Germany having grown up there.

— Slovakia is at its third straight Euro as an independent nation, all since the tournament was expanded to 24 teams. Slovakia reached the round of 16 in 2016 losing 3-0 to Germany. As half of the former Czechoslovakia it won the 1976 title.

— Belgium was the beaten finalist in 1980, losing to West Germany.

— The teams never met in a competitive game and last played a friendly against each other 11 years ago. A Belgium team featuring a 21-year-old De Bruyne beat Slovakia 2-1 in Brugge.

Team news:

— Belgium left arguably the world’s best goalkeeper at home. That’s despite Thibaut Courtois proving his fitness helping Real Madrid win the Champions League final. Courtois has been in dispute with Tedesco reportedly after not getting the captaincy for a game last year.

— Belgium has injuries in defense with doubts over Axel Witsel. Veteran Jan Vertonghen and Arthur Theate are both expected to be unavailable. Zeno Debast, just 20, and Maxim De Cuyper could get their chance.

— Slovakia’s lineup could include Peter Pekarík and Juraj Kucka. At age 37 they are Slovakia’s oldest ever players. They also are the last remaining members of the 2010 World Cup squad that beat and eliminated defending champion Italy in the group stage.

By the numbers:

— Belgium is still ranked No. 3 by FIFA despite not advancing out of its group at the 2022 World Cup. Belgium has a seven-year run in the top five, including atop the ranking from 2018 through 2021. Slovakia is No. 48.

— Romelu Lukaku’s record 85 goals for Belgium, aged just 31, is more than the top three Slovakia scorers combined since it became an independent soccer nation in 1994. Marek Hamsik, who retired last year and is now an assistant coach, leads with 26.

— Belgium captain De Bruyne made his 100th appearance for the Red Devils last week, scoring in a 2-0 warmup win against Montenegro.

— Slovakia gave up the fastest goal in the history of men's international soccer in March. It took just six seconds for Austria's Christoph Baumgartner to dribble the ball direct from the center spot and shoot past goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

What they’re saying:

— “Belgium has a lot of fantastic individuals. Take De Bruyne, (Jérémy) Doku, Lukaku, (Leandro) Trossard, all of them are huge players. Belgium has two or three top players playing in top clubs in each position.” — Slovakia midfielder Stanislav Lobotka

— “Since the 2022 World Cup, he has had to build a completely new team with a lot of younger players, so everything had to be adjusted to his philosophy of playing.” — Kevin De Bruyne on coach Domenico Tedesco