The ultimate warrior...and he can play, too

I LOVE watching Sergio Ramos. He is a beacon of light in an era when there are not enough good defenders. It is little wonder he is the world’s most decorated defender. This is a player who will time and again put his body on the line in pursuit of glory. A player whose leadership qualities are second to none. A player who not even Diego Costa can bully. I don’t like to see the kind of challenge that curtailed Mohamed Salah’s final. Ramos grabs hold of Salah’s arm and twists it around, almost like a judo throw. It was clear he was trying to leave a little bit on his opponent. But the best defenders will target the danger man and — within the laws of the game — use whatever means necessary to test them to the limit. While I am sure Ramos would not have wanted to see Salah go off injured, that moment was arguably as important as Gareth Bale’s overhead kick. The Real Madrid captain has a toughness that we are not seeing in other defenders. Not only is Ramos the ultimate warrior but he also has the technical ability of a midfielder. He is so comfortable in possession. With his individual brilliance, Real Madrid do not need to rely on their defence working as a unit. Marcelo will bomb forwards from left back, confident that Ramos can deal with any trouble in the space he has vacated. As a defender for the modern-day game, Ramos ticks all the boxes.