UEFA honours 
UEFA European Championship: winner 2008, 2012
UEFA EURO 2012: Team of the Tournament
UEFA European Under-19 Championship: winner 2004
UEFA.com users' Team of the Year: 2008, 2012

• The Andalusian left home-town club Sevilla FC for Madrid in August 2005 after just one full season. Aged 19, the €27m fee he commanded was a record between two Spanish clubs.

• Became Spain's youngest full international for 55 years when he made his debut four days before his 19th birthday, which he celebrated with a first competitive start − in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Serbia and Montenegro.

• Started at Madrid as a central defender before being restored to his more familiar role of right-back, replacing Míchel Salgado; won the Liga title in 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2011/12.

• Also took Salgado's position in the Spain team and was first-choice right-back at Germany 2006, before playing a prominent role in Spain's UEFA EURO 2008 triumph.

• Started every game in a defence that conceded only two goals in seven matches as Spain won the World Cup in 2010, and was one of six members of Vicente del Bosque's squad included in FIFA's All-Star Team.

• By the end of the UEFA EURO 2012 qualifying campaign Ramos had lifted his tally of international caps for Spain to 80 – while still only 25; impressed playing every minute in Poland and Ukraine as Spain retained their European crown.