Love over money: footballers who have gone home to finish their careers

Sergio Ramos, Ángel Di María and Santi Cazorla turned down lucrative deals and went back to where their hearts lay

By Richard Foster for The Football Mine

During his heyday Sergio Ramos would not have won many popularity contests outside his own club’s fanbase. As an exponent of the dark arts Ramos was irascible, spiky and often infuriating. His career was littered with various misdemeanours, including 28 red cards, 20 of which he received in La Liga – a record for individual dismissals. However, Ramos’s return to his hometown club, Sevilla, has brought the 37-year-old acclaim. At his emotional homecoming he outlined his motivation: “It wasn’t a matter of money or a contract but a question of philosophy, mentality and feeling. At Sevilla we come together in these values.”

In light of so many high-profile players moving to Saudi Arabia in the last few months, it was refreshing to see someone eschewing the riches on offer to return to the club where it all started. “I have always been moved by impulses and heart, not by money,” said Ramos. “That’s why I didn’t go to Saudi Arabia or MLS. The time to return was now, as I could help the club in a delicate moment. The economic issue has not been a problem – we solved it in five seconds.”

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