Real Madrid president Florentino Perez once overlooked Cristiano Ronaldo when naming the player he 'loved like a son'.
Perez, 78, first became president of Madrid in 2000 before resigning in 2006 after two trophyless seasons.
The Spaniard resumed office as president in 2009 and has held the role ever since.
During his time in charge, Perez opted for the Galacticos policy of bringing the world's best players to the Spanish capital.
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The likes of Zinedine Zidane, Karim Benzema, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and David Beckham were all signed by Perez.
Despite working with some of the club's best-ever players, there was one star that stood out for Perez, Spaniard Sergio Ramos.
Back in 2021, after it was confirmed that Ramos would leave Madrid, Perez heaped praise on the defender.
As reported by beIN Sports, he said: "I have adoration for Sergio and I am not going to talk about it. He has been a Real Madrid legend.
"We offered him a contract, we told him that he had a deadline and he did not admit it. He thought otherwise."
Perez continued: "I love Sergio as a son. I bought him in 2005. Of course, I'm sorry.
"He will return, this is his house. It has happened to me with other players. I love him as if he were my son and I wish him the best. I am not going to talk here about who is right and who is not. There are no nuances."
Ramos first moved to Madrid in the summer of 2005, after leaving Sevilla for a reported fee of €27 million.
The Spaniard went on to become one of the finest defenders of his generation ana made a total of 671 appearances for Madrid, scoring 101 goals.
Ramos won five La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues among other trophies.
In 2021, Ramos left Madrid to sign for Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint Germain.
After two years in Paris, Ramos made an emotional return to Sevilla before joining Mexican side Monterrey at the start of 2025.
On the international stage, Ramos has been capped 180 times by Spain, scoring 23 goals in the process. He also lifted the Euros twice and the World Cup once.
Topics: Florentino Perez, Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos, Football, Champions League
Marcus Chan