Alaba Says He’s Honored to Take Over Ramos’ Jersey at Madrid

David Alaba. (AFP)
David Alaba. (AFP)
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Alaba Says He’s Honored to Take Over Ramos’ Jersey at Madrid

David Alaba. (AFP)
David Alaba. (AFP)

New Real Madrid signing David Alaba said Wednesday it will be an “honor” to wear Sergio Ramos’ No. 4 jersey at the Spanish club.

Alaba was officially introduced by Madrid after reaching an agreement with the club in May.

“(Ramos has) been here for a decade and became a leader wearing this number,” Alaba said. “That’s a big motivation for me and I want to represent it and honor it. I’ve said that on a few occasions. But I want to repeat that I am not here to compare myself with others. I want to show my strengths and continue to be David Alaba.”

Ramos bid farewell to Madrid last month after spending 16 years at the club. He said he wanted to stay but the club preferred not to renew his contract. He will be playing with Paris Saint-Germain.

Alaba joined Madrid from Bayern Munich, where he played 431 games in 13 years.



Olympic Cauldron to Rise into Paris Skies Each Night

 Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
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Olympic Cauldron to Rise into Paris Skies Each Night

 Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)
Paris 2024 Olympics - Paris, France - July 27, 2024. A general view of the balloon and Olympic cauldron in Jardin des Tuileries. (Reuters)

The Olympic cauldron that made a stunning first flight at the Paris Games opening ceremony will sit on the ground during the day and rise again every evening.

Paris Olympics organizers said that from Saturday, the cauldron attached to a balloon will fly more than 60 meters (197 feet) above the Tuileries gardens near the glass pyramid entrance to the Louvre museum from sunset until 2 a.m.

During daytime hours, 10,000 people each day can get free tickets to approach the cauldron, which is the first in Olympic history to light up without the use of fossil fuels.

Organizers said the electric flame uses 40 LED spotlights “to illuminate the cloud created by 200 high-pressure misting nozzles.”