The club captain has talked about his time at the Spanish capital ahead of Sunday’s Clasico clash.
Sergio Ramos has revealed the secret to his success at Real Madrid since the capital club prepare for Sunday’s Clasico assembly with Barcelona.
The 33-year-old joined Real from Sevilla in 2005 and has gone on to lift four league titles at the time in addition to a host of other domestic silverware.
Ramos has also enjoyed success in European competition, raising four Champions League trophies and three UEFA Super Cups.
Real Madrid now sit two points behind Barcelona in the race to the 2019-20 name heading into the weekend’s fixture and Ramos insists he and his club-mates are focused on the task in hand.
“The key is hard work,” Ramos told La Liga when questioned on his achievement in Madrid. “It’s dedication rather than losing focus or ambition. That’s fundamental.
“It is tough, but in the event that you’re able to reset yourself every time to keep fighting, win prizes and also to maintain that attitude of wanting to acquire new titles, that is vital. Looking after myself and maintaining in the best shape possible is always at the forefront of my thoughts.
“You learn new things every year, so there is always room to improve. That’s what you need to concentrate on, to keep advancing to get the most out of the situation you are in.”
Ramos became the club’s record appearance-maker at Clasico fixtures when Real Madrid fulfilled Barcelona at Camp Nou in December and is closing in on Raul’s record as the player with the most general appearances for the club.
Talking on what playing for Real Madrid means to him, Ramos added: “For me personally, representing and captaining this club is a privilege.
“It makes me very, very proud. Being here a lot of years is a developing process. You develop with experience; with all of the games you play through the years. Good and bad experiences.
“It is an honor to wear the Real Madrid’s captain’s armband and to understand that you are an example to thousands of kids, to your team-mates.
“It is a great responsibility, so I try to behave as best I could, not just for my own team-mates but also so the entire Real Madrid family could be proud of their captain.”
Real Madrid sponsor Barcelona on Sunday as they seem to overtake their Clasico competitions at the peak of the Liga table.
