Sergio Ramos is a polarising figure in the world of football.
The Spain and Real Madrid captain received loud boos from the Wembley crowd, on Saturday, every time he got the ball during Spain’s 2-1 win over England in the UEFA Nations League.
The only logical explanation for the boos is that it’s a reaction to his tackle that injured Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in the Champions League final, more than three months ago.
Speaking to the press after the England match last night, Ramos revealed that the reaction to the incident with Mo Salah, in which the pair tangled arms and Salah came out with a dislocated shoulder, was so bad that he received death threats from aggrieved Liverpool and Egypt fans.
Speaking in the mixed zone, Ramos said:
“One tries to evade [the boos]. In the end you feel it, but I stay out of everything. It doesn’t affect my game.
“I would have liked another reception because people only remember the action of the final, and nobody remembers the death threats that my family and my children received.”
“It is a very sensitive issue that people maybe take as a joke about and [that’s why they] whistle in a great stadium like this. My conscience is very clear. I already explained [what happened], and I do not have to give more explanations.”
The defender showed he is not all panto villain as he sent a message of support to Luke Shaw after the Manchester United and England defender was concussed after an aerial collision in Spain’s 2-1 win.
Get well soon, @LukeShaw23!
🙏💪💪🙏 https://t.co/DLqgPW2A7o— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) September 8, 2018
Ramos has, in the past, spoken of his love for United and claimed they are the only other club in world football he would consider a move to.
The 32-year-old has repeatedly denied that he had any intention of hurting Salah in the challenge, but still receives torrents of abuse for the injury it caused.
“You never expect a reception that is not good because, as I said the other day, if these [English] fans have something good, it is that they have always been with the great players. It has not been like that, but I am very calm, with my conscience very clear in that aspect.
“As I said before, I have never tried to hurt a colleague. There are people who may have misunderstood it, but these are football things. It will not change anything in my game or in me.”
A born competitor who sometimes takes the ‘win at all costs’ mentality a bit too far.
