Having reached the age of 39, Sergio Ramos said “goodbye” to the Mexicans and is preparing to return to Europe!

• The loss to Toluca represented a duel in the second leg of the semi-finals of the Liga MX Apertura, and thus Monterrey missed out on qualifying for the grand final. In the last act, those from Toluca will fight with Tigresalso in a double-leg (December 11 and 14, respectively).

The full Liga MX Apertura semifinals schedule

In recent weeks, there have been increasing rumors that Ramos would not want to extend his contract with the “Rayados” group, and after the match against Toluca, the 39-year-old veteran confirmed these speculations.

Sergio Ramos: “It was really my last game for Monterrey”

Arriving in Mexico in February 2025, the Spanish defender immediately took over the captain's armband at Monterrey, a club for which he made 32 appearances in all competitions, during which he managed to score seven goals, one of which was scored in the Club World Championship, a competition in which the “Rayados” were eliminated in the round of 16, 1-2 with Borussia Dortmund.

However, after nine months at the Monterrey side, Ramos has decided it's time for a new adventure and his ultimate goal at the moment is a return to Europe, according to Nicolo Schira.

The Italian journalist also stated that this desire of Ramos is also due to the fact that the Spaniard wants to be visible to the “La Roja” coach, Luis de la Fuente, with a view to a possible invitation to the World Championship in 2026.

The former Real Madrid, Sevilla and PSG stopper's plan is quite a bold one, given that his last appearance for the Spanish national team came on March 31, 2021, in a 2022 World Cup qualifier against Kosovo.

Sergio Ramos, replacing Eric Garcia in the match Spain – Kosovo (WC 2022 Preliminaries) // PHOTO: Getty Images

Even so, at 39 years old, Ramos is still eager to perform, writes the Iberian press, and the fact that Luis de la Fuente is facing some unavailability in the defensive compartment, could increase the veteran's chances of a sensational comeback.

180 selectionsscored by Sergio Ramos in the Spanish national team shirt (record)

Opta sees Spain as the main favorite to win the World Cup

The national team “La Roja” has already known its first opponents for the final tournament in the USA, Mexico and Canada, which will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

Divided into group H, Spain will face the Cape Verde Islands, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay in the first phase of the competition, with many experts believing that De La Fuenta's team will march in the first three matches.

Moreover, according to the famous Opta supercomputer, the Iberians are considered the main favorites to win the tournament, with a percentage of 17.1%. France occupies the second place, with 14.1%, and the podium is completed by England, with 11.8%.

Key facts about the 2026 World Cup:

• The first edition in history with 48 teams;

• Hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada;

• It will take place between June 11 and July 19, 2026;

• There will be 12 groups of 4 teams each;

• The first two in each group qualify further, plus the best 8 third places;

• It will have 104 matches in 38 days, thus becoming the longest World Championship in history.

All 2026 World Cup groups:

• Group A: Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, UEFA Play-off D (Denmark, North Macedonia, Czech Republic, Ireland);

• Group B: Canada, UEFA Play-off A (Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, Bosnia), Qatar, Switzerland;

• Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland;

• Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, UEFA Play-off C (Turkey, Romania, Slovakia, Kosovo);

• Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador;

• Group F: Netherlands, Japan, UEFA Play-off B (Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania), Tunisia

• Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand;

• Group H: Spain, Cape Verde Islands, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay;

• Group I: France, Senegal, FIFA Play-off 2 (Iraq, Bolivia, Suriname), Norway;

• Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan;

• Group K: Portugal, FIFA Play-off 1 (New Caledonia, DR Congo, Jamaica), Uzbekistan, Colombia;

• Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama.