'Go out on a high by winning' - Sergio Ramos says Club World Cup, other competitions factored into decision to join Monterrey

Sergio Ramos returned to training with Monterrey, a positive development ahead of the Club World Cup, which will take place from June 14 to July 13 in the United States. At the beginning of the year, Rayados made the biggest splash of the winter transfer window in Liga MX by signing the Spanish defender.

Ramos spent more than 15 years at Real Madrid, winning five La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies, in addition to lifting the World Cup and the European Championship with Spain.

A few months earlier, León had grabbed headlines by signing James Rodríguez, another high-profile player. But Ramos’ arrival had an even bigger media impact, as he is considered one of the best defenders in football history.

In an interview with DAZN, Ramos spoke about what motivated him to come to Liga MX, beyond just participating in the Club World Cup:

“In my last years in football, I want to go out on a high by winning, right?," he said. "The Mexican market is also very attractive on a personal-branding level. But also the team’s goals matter when making that decision. You’ve got the Clausura, the Apertura, the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the Leagues Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup.

“So all of that adds up, and my competitive spirit led me to choose a team that gives me a real chance to contribute and play in this kind of competition.”

Monterrey has two friendly matches scheduled before making their debut in the Club World Cup, so Domenec Torrent’s team is expected to undergo strong preparation ahead of the tournament - one in which the spotlight will undoubtedly be on them due to the presence of the Spanish star.

Ramos said even the design of the Club World Cup trophy was appealing, something worth pursuing.

"The truth is, it’s a beautiful trophy," he said. "And in the end, that’s also part of the motivation that brought me to Mexico, that brought me here, because it opened up the opportunity to play in new competitions."

Torrent’s team will kick off their Club World Cup campaign on June 17 against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. They will then face another must-win match against River Plate before closing out the group stage against Japan’s Urawa Reds.