Sevilla Once Handed La Liga Title To Barcelona Thanks To Sergio Ramos' Goal
Ramos might have won five La Liga titles with Real Madrid but he also made sure Barcelona won a title too.
He would go on to epitomise the club and become 'Mr Real Madrid,' but in 2005, 19-year-old Sevilla defender Sergio Ramos was facing his future club at the business end of the Liga season.
David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane stood together as Sevilla lined up a free-kick. It was a two-man wall boasting maximum star power but minimal defensive solidity.
Wallop. The ball was laid off to a fresh-faced centre-back who launched a dipping shot from more than 30 yards out. The ball flew past his future manager, Zidane, and into the corner of the net.
Cue wild celebrations and Florentino Perez sat somewhere thinking: 'Who's that guy? I better sign him.' Probably.
Ramos would go to Madrid in the summer for €27 million, a record fee for a Spanish defender. It proved a bargain as years of goals, trophies, arrogance, glory - plus many red cards - followed.
But Ramos's last goal for his childhood club Sevilla seriously hurt the team he'd one day captain, while also helping out Barcelona.
A Galacticos-packed Real side starring Raul, Roberto Carlos, Brazilian Ronaldo, Michael Owen and - bizarrely - Thomas Gravesen needed to win to keep their Liga title hopes alive.
All looked to be going OK when Real equalised, then took the lead via a thunderous shot from their inspirational midfield genius Gravesen.
Not really, it was Zidane. Of course it was Zidane.
But disaster struck when Julio 'The Beast' Baptista equalised in the 89th minute. The 2-2 draw confirmed the title was going to Barcelona, meaning two future Real players had cost the club any chance of catching their arch rivals.
Safe to say Real fans probably forgave Ramos in the following 16 years, given his numerous crucial goals and status as an all-time club legend. But he has had an antagonistic relationship with supporters of his former club Sevilla.
Sergio Ramos winding up opposition fans? Yes, we're absolutely as shocked as you are.
However he was a Sevilla hero back in 2005, when his goal stunned his future club, future teammates and future boss, delivering a result which confirmed that the Liga title was heading to Catalonia.
Featured Image Credit: YouTubeTopics: Sergio Ramos, Barcelona, Sevilla, Real Madrid, La Liga
Alex Reid