In the early morning of February 24, Beijing time, 36-year-old Spanish defender Ramos announced his withdrawal from the national team on his personal social media.
Ramos wrote in both Spanish and English in his farewell letter: "The time has come and I want to say goodbye to the Spanish national team. This morning, I got a call from the current head coach and was informed that it was not in his plans, regardless of my form.
With a heavy heart, I know that my national team journey has come to an end. To be honest, I had hoped that I would quit the national team the way I did, or because I wasn't competitive enough, not because of my age or whatever. Age is just a number and does not represent status. I envy players like Modric, Pepe and Messi, who represent the tradition, justice, values and essence of the sport. Unfortunately for me, football is not always fair and football is more than football.
I have to accept this and thank you for your support over the years. Along the way, many memories will never be forgotten, including the championships won and the moments of celebration. As the most played player in the history of the Spanish national team, I feel extremely honoured. I've been lucky enough to play 180 times for the national team and I'll continue to support the national team.
Ramos, 36, made his Spanish debut on 26 March 2005, when he was not yet 19 years old. He then represented Spain in four World Cups (2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018) and three European Cups (2008, 2012, 2016), and was the representative of Spain's three consecutive major victories (Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012).
Ramos' last appearance for the national team was in a World Cup qualifier on March 31, 2021, when he came off the bench for four minutes against Kosovo. At the 2021 European Championship, Ramos did not participate due to injury. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, then-Spanish coach Luis did not recruit Ramos.
Ramos made 180 appearances for the Spanish national team, scoring 23 goals and providing eight assists, leading the team to one World Cup title and two European Championship titles.