Sports Nicknames - El Capitan, Cuqui

Sergio Ramos is a controversial player. One one hand El Capitan has served Real Madrid loyally for over a decade, coming in with big goals and leading the defence. On the other hand, he is the most carded player in La Liga history and often accused of going into challenges recklessly and using excessive force. Regardless of which side you're on, it's hard to ignore this man.



Ramos started at local side Sevilla before being transferred to Real Madrid in 2005. There, he was played as a centre back or right back and occasionally thrown into the midfield as an emergency defender. He started his tradition of scoring goals and getting red cards in these early years, with four of the latter coming in his debut season.

He continued this trend of scoring goals and receiving bookings over the next decade, often being named captain in the absence of other players like Iker Casillas. In 2015, with the departure of Casillas, Ramos was named permanent club captain. He would go on to win 3 Champions League titles as captain, as well as 2 La Liga titles. In addition, he was part of the sides that won 1 more Champions League and 3 La Liga titles. For Spain, he won the World Cup and 2 European Championships between 2008 and 2012.

At the time of writing, Ramos has 105 goals in 735 appearances, which is quite impressive for a defender. Again, he also holds records for most bookings in just about every competition he's played in. Regardless of how you view Ramos and his playing style, he has to be regarded as one of the best defenders of his generation.

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Another nickname for Sergio Ramos in his family circles is 'Cuqui', in relation to famous cookies. With a healthy dose of sarcasm, considering Sergio's temperament and aggressiveness on the pitch, teammates at Real Madrid have adopted this nickname.

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