Real Madrid: Ranking the five best moments of Sergio Ramos’ Champions League career

4. First of the four Real Madrid titles as a captain

Ramos captained his side into a vastly successful Champions League campaign in the 2015-16 season. The previous captain, Iker Casillas had left Real Madrid with a glorious tenth European title, La Decima as the obsession is popularly dubbed. They would face their city rivals in a second consecutive final for both sides.

Gareth Bale won a free-kick in a beautiful position in the opening minutes of the half. Toni Kroos sent in an inviting in-swinger that was eventually finished by Sergio Ramos from close range to put Real Madrid 1-0 up within 15 minutes. The moment remains a big one in his career, though it was eventually equalized by Carasco in the dying embers of the match.

Real Madrid eventually were forced to extra-time and then penalties. They won the shoot-outs 5-3 with Cristiano Ronaldo delivering the winning hit. Sergio Ramos then lifted his first Champions League trophy as a captain, a moment both he and us Madridistas remember clear as a crystal.

It was a particularly important match because it started the passage of European dominance for the Whites for 3 consecutive seasons. It eventually became the match that made Sergio Ramos, El Capitan Sergio Ramos, and further consolidated that there was never any doubt for a first choice captain in the team whenever Ramos was available.