‘I’ll be back:’ Ramos bids emotional farewell to Real Madrid

Madrid, Jun 17 (EFE).- Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos broke down in tears Thursday as he bid farewell to the club after 16 years, saying it was one of the toughest moments of his life.

In a stripped back ceremony, Ramos became emotional when he recalled arriving at the Santiago Bernabéu with his family having joined from Sevilla in 2005.

“I would like to thank the fans, they carried me in their arms at all times,” he said.

“I would have liked to have said goodbye in our stadium, in the Santiago Bernabéu,” he added.

The 35-year-old addressed a small audience at Madrid’s Valdebebas training complex, where the team has been playing its home games while the Bernabéu undergoes a revamp.

“Thank you Real Madrid, I will always carry you in my heart.

“Here ends a beautiful chapter of my life, and another one of excitement for the future, with a lot of desire to keep playing at my highest level for years to come, opens.”

He added: “This is more of a ‘see you later,’ because I’ll be back.”

Since joining Real Madrid, Ramos has bagged 22 trophies, including four Uefa Champions Leagues and five La Liga titles.

Although a defender, Ramos scored 101 goals for Los Blancos and has cemented his name as a club legend.