Real Madrid buck 100-year tradition for new captain after Ramos’ departure

Every good thing that has a beginning, often than not, also has an end and that is the case of the relationship between Real Madrid and Sergio Ramos.

After defending the colours of Real Madrid for 16 years, Ramos has called time on his time at the club and he is now set for a new chapter that could see him playing outside of Spain for the first time in his career.

Since taking over as club captain from Iker Casillas in 2015, Ramos charismatically led Real Madrid to a remarkable period of success as he lifted 12 trophies, including three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles from 2016 to 2018.

According to multiple reports and the well-known tradition that the captaincy at Real Madrid is given to the player who has been in the first team for the longest, Brazilian defender Marcelo is set to replace Ramos as captain.

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is reported to have decided that the Brazilian left-back should become the new team captain following Ramos’ departure.

Ancelotti respects both Marcelo’s experience and Real Madrid’s tradition in this regard and the new manager sees the 33-year-old, who has been with Real since 2007, as the ideal man to take over from Ramos.

The Brazilian will become the first non-Spaniard to captain Real in over 100 years. Real have had Spanish captains ever since 1904, when Guatemalan Federico Revierto gave up the armband.