La Décima

I'd say the most special trophy, apart from the first, which was the first League with Real Madrid, given the circumstances, was the Champions League. We hadn't won it for many years, in the semi final I scored two against a great team in Bayern and the 93rd minute, well, that's a story you either like or you don't. That season started badly, with poor results, there was a new coach and the coach and the players became confident and little by little started to get good results. It's true that there was a real high point when all the players, supporters, and everyone pulled together to reach the final in Lisbon. In a Champions League final it's difficult when you come out for the second half behind, but we spoke about how we needed to play. I had it in my head that we were going to win. We knew it wasn't going to be a bad night for us. My memory of la décima is Sergio's goal. Before the match, all week we practised that corner and when we got there, in my head I knew I only had to put a good ball in and Sergio would be there to head it, and the rest is history. I think that was the nicest moment in my career because I could see everything in slow motion. The ball arriving, Sergio rising above the player and scoring the goal. All from behind. At the same time we had nothing and had everything. A strange sensation. I remember Luka Modric went to take the corner and I didn't want to watch. When I saw everyone starting to jump and celebrate the goal without knowing who scored, I knew it was Sergio. Everyone could see we were attacking and couldn't score, and it was a moment of enormous happiness. It makes you want to run on the pitch and hug him. The truth is it was one of the best moments, on a personal level, I've had at Real Madrid. Obviously, Sergio's goal is what turned it around. It was a very sweet, special moment for everyone. No one slept in Madrid that night. The party continued the next day in the Bernabéu, celebrating with our supporters. We have to remember that la décima was very important and will be difficult to forget for Madridistas. At that moment, that kiss was to tell him how important he'd been in that European Cup. There was still extra time to play but we had given ourselves that second wind to go on and win it. And not just that match, which is what everyone remembers, bit the semi final against Bayern Munich he had a great game home and away. And in that campaign there were times when we struggled but it's true that the team played well and I think he was important in winning la décima. "La Décima is his Décima." Everyone will remember the tenth European Cup as the Sergio Ramos Décima because it was like a script written so we'd never forget those last few minutes. You feel satisfied, after all the suffering, all the sacrifice, the hard work, everything you've given up is there, in one moment inspired by that cup and you say, well, it was all worth it.