Real Madrid: Why the great strikers respect Sergio Ramos

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos commands respect from both his teammates and his opponents.

Last season, Real Madrid center back Sergio Ramos placed second on the team in goals scored in La Liga, finding the back of the net 11 times. Ramos came through in the clutch with some big goals, whether headed or from the spot.

He’s hands-down one of the best scoring defenders in the history of football and can make a legitimate claim to being the best center back of his generation. Ramos wasn’t always this respected, but the 34-year-old has gotten better with age, adding levels to his game as a defender. Few read the game better than Ramos, whose partnership with Raphael Varane is extraordinary and has formed a bedrock for some of Europe’s best sides.

It’s not a rare sight to see Ramos garner high praise from his opponents, who respect the center back’s excellence at his craft. As the saying goes, game recognizes game, and Ramos has been one of the absolute elite in the game for years.

Tottenham striker Harry Kane is the latest star forward to send praise in the No. 4’s direction. In an interview with SPORTbible, Kane listed Sergio Ramos as part of the toughest back four he’s ever faced in his career, calling the Spanish international “a complete player”. John Terry, Dani Alves, and Ramos’ high-class teammate Marcelo rounded out the rest of the four.

Sergio Ramos is a complete player for Real Madrid

Ramos gets heavy criticism from fans of other clubs, because they dislike the Madrid captain’s aggressive playing style. But Ramos has toned that aggression lately, turning the foolhardy fouls into smart, tactical fouls. He is very clever at making fouls in transition at the right time, which is something I’m sure savvy managers like Pep Guardiola would especially appreciate.

Of course, it is Ramos’ completeness that earns him the most plaudits. His technical quality as a passer and scorer are unmatched at the center back position. And honestly, we’ve never seen a player like him in history. His free kick against Mallorca was an example of his top-drawer quality, but his 91 percent pass. completion percentage in La Liga last season also stood out.

When watching how he pockets forwards, organizes his team, and leads Real Madrid to victory after victory by any means necessary, it’s easy to see why so many great strikers, whether Kane or Europe’s best No. 9 Robert Lewandowski, are so quick to praise him.

Sergio Ramos is a fiery, cerebral defender and the epitome of a leader for Los Blancos. On the ball, in defense, or in scoring situations, he delivers for the world’s biggest club and earns admirers from the forwards he holds in check.