With one of the world’s premier goal scorers, Real Madrid has now gone unbeaten in 37 straight games. Recent results have seen Los Blancos open up a six-point lead on Barcelona (now three points ahead with a game in hand) and recently won the Club World Cup. Relying on one of the game’s most in-form strikers, Madrid has grabbed late goals to keep them one step ahead of their rivals. We are, of course, talking about Sergio Ramos.
Ramos, a central defender by trade, has made a living out of scoring big goals at opportune times. His most famous goal came back in the 2014 Champions League Final. A last minute goal saved Madrid against crosstown rival Atletico. Real Madrid went on to win their tenth Champions League title that night, and two years later Ramos is still putting the ball in the back of the net.
These past few weeks have been good to the 30 -year old Spaniard. Madrid took an unbeaten run and six-point lead over Barcelona to the Nou Camp. Barcelona took a 1-0 lead into the 90th minute, but a set piece found Ramos’ head and he saved a draw for the visitors. Madrid kept their six-point lead. A week later Ramos did it again, this time against Deportivo La Coruna. Drawing 2-2 at home with the league’s 16th place team threatened to thrown Barcelona back into the title race. Ramos once again rose to meet a cross and headed it home deep into injury time. Madrid remained well ahead of their bitter rival, Barcelona.
.@realmadriden never know when they're beaten! #beINElClasico https://t.co/8mUBWdr7Gb
— beIN SPORTS USA (@beINSPORTSUSA) December 3, 2016
Along with his goal in the 2016 Champions League final, a 15th-minute strike, Ramos has built his career around scoring at the absolute perfect time. But to really understand the impact he has in a Madrid shirt, you have to look beyond his recent late-game heroics.
At 30 years of age, Ramos is the fourth highest scoring defender in La Liga history. He’s found the back of the net 47 times, one more than fellow Real Madrid legend Roberto Carlos. He’s still 20 goals behind Ronald Koeman, yes the same Ronald Koeman currently managing Everton.
Ramos isn’t done, either. He’s regarded as one of the game’s best defenders, but his ability on set pieces has put him in a class all his own. From his earliest days as a member of Sevilla, when he scored in a 1-0 win against Real Madrid with his future manager Zinedine Zidane looking on, Ramos has had a flair for the dramatic.
But the Spaniard isn’t just about late goals. Those moments surely make Ramos something of a legend to Madrid fans, but a goal in the 29th minute can be just as important as one in the 90th minute. Ramos has made a career of winning, and his 47 goals have helped bring his club and his country unprecedented success. Two goals in quick succession against Bayern Munich in the 2014 Champions League put the defending Champions out in embarrassing fashion. A month after that, Madrid would be the first team to reach 10 wins in that competition thanks in large part to his aerial ability.
The last minute goals tend to make for more exciting headlines, but throughout Ramos’ career, he’s shown the ability to rise to any occasion. Whether or not the game is entering its final moment’s is irrelevant. A good cross into the box at any moment of the match, and there is a good chance Ramos will find a way to get his head on it.
With Ramos, Madrid has to take the good with the bad. His 21 red cards are the most in Real Madrid history. In 2012, he became the subject of plenty of jokes when he badly missed in a penalty shoot-out against Bayern Munich. Plenty of Barcelona fans would argue he should have been sent off in the most recent Clasico before he had a chance to pop up with a late equalizer.
Regardless, he has been one of Madrid’s greatest defenders. For a club so rich with history, it’s hard to keep stealing the spotlight. Not to mention playing alongside one the games largest personalities in Cristiano Ronaldo. The truth is if Ramos’ lone career highlight was that one goal against Atletico Madrid he’d still be destined for Madrid folklore. The fact that he’s been doing this sort of thing consistently since he was a teenager makes him one of the game’s greats. At 30 years of age, he has more than enough time to add to his legend.
