Ramos equals Casillas record with 167th appearance for Spain

Goal

21:45 8 /9 /2019

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• SPAIN
 
• REAL MADRID
 
• EC QUALIFICATION
 
• FAROE ISLANDS
 
• SPAIN V FAROE ISLANDS
 
• SERGIO RAMOS

The defender has caught his long-time team-mate in the record books, making them the joint-most capped players in the nation's illustrious history

Sergio Ramos has joined former club and international team-mate Iker Casillas as Spain's all-time record appearance maker.

The centre-back made his 167th appearance for Spain on Sunday, pulling level with the side's legendary goalkeeper as he earned a start against the Faroe Islands in a Euro 2020 qualifying match. 

Manager Robert Moreno made nine changes from the 2-1 win over Romania, with Ramos and forward Rodrigo Moreno the only survivors from Thursday's game.

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Ramos first appeared for Spain on March 26 2005, in a 3-0 friendly win over China at the tender age of 18 years and 361 days old, the youngest of any Spain player in over half a century.  

He would go on to help Spain to one of the most dominant runs in the history of international football between 2008 and 2012.  

The defender was a key member of the side as La Roja rolled to titles in the 2008 Euros, the 2010 World Cup and the 2012 Euros, playing as both a right-back and centre-back.  

Ramos celebrated his 100th cap with Spain back in 2013, making his third World Cup roster a year later, though Spain's dominance came to an end with the side bounced out at the group stage in Brazil.  

With David de Gea taking over for Casillas in net for Euro 2016, Ramos was handed the armband and captained his side to a second-place finish in the group stage, though they were beaten by Italy in the round of 16.  

Having scored 21 times for Spain, Ramos is nearing a record for the most international goals every scored by a defender, and he is also closing in on Gianluigi Buffon's European caps record, with just nine more needed to catch the Italian legend. 

Ramos was congratulated before the game by international team-mate and Barcelona adversary Sergio Busquets, who said it was an honour to have the defender as captain.

Spain look favourites to earn a place at the Euro 2020, having earned five wins in five qualifying matches coming into Sunday's contest, putting them five points in front of second-placed Sweden in Group F. 

While Faroe Islands are not expected to offer much of a contest to Spain, the side's October qualifiers should prove much tougher, with Norway and Sweden in opposition as Spain look to make sure of their place in the finals.