Seven differences between Sergio Ramos' naked Interviú and now
Back in 2004, the now Real Madrid and Spain captain posed naked for a well-known magazine. We look at how the man from Sevilla has changed.
This week it was announced that the Spanish language weekly magazine Interviú would close. After more than 40 years in existence, financial reasons as well as a realisation of the changing ways in which news is being consumed led to this decision. We look back on one story from the magazine from 2004 which involved Real Madrid and Spain captain, Sergio Ramos.
At the time, the man from Camas in Sevilla was playing for his home club Sevilla and appeared in the magazine - like many before and after him - naked. Since then, a move to the Spanish capital and a rise in his world profile has changed him to the man we know today. These are some of the, slightly tongue-in-cheek, differences we've seen since that interview took place...
1. No sign of tattoos
Sergio Ramos' photoshoot in 2004 showed an almost clear body, with only one obvious tattoo marking on his left arm. 14 years later he is known as one of the most tattooed players, as his look has advanced along with his superstar status. Another change in his body has been that caused by the operation he had to fix a broken nose which happened during a game.
2. No senior international caps
The man who now proudly wears the captain's armband for the Spanish national team had not, by the time of the interview, made an appearance for La Roja's senior side. His debut came the following year, in March of 2005, in a 3-0 friendly win over China. Few could have imagined then what a glittering international career he would have.
3. No fame for headed goals in minute 94
We didn't know back then that this would only come once the central defender cut his hair short but back then, the Ramos of Interviú was happy to let it grow long.
4. No A-team formed with Isco, Modric and Marcelo, flying missions in a hastily acquired helicopter
5. No thoughts yet on a favourite pose
6. No understanding of the non-difference between 'basket' and 'baloncesto'
In an interview that Ramos did shortly after his move to Real Madrid he had somewhat of lapse in thought process saying: "My friends played 'basket' and 'baloncesto'." Both of these terms in Spanish refer to the same game, basketball. These days, with friends like Real Madrid star Sergio Llull, he is very aware of the game.