Real Madrid would be "negligent" if they failed to bring Sergio Ramos back to the club one day, according to former team-mate Toni Kroos.
The LaLiga giants announced last week that the long-serving centre-back is to leave the club after a remarkable 16-year spell in the Spanish capital.
Ramos won LaLiga five times with Madrid and helped Los Blancos to four Champions League titles, among an array of other major honours.
But the Spain international will start a new adventure next season after Madrid withdrew their offer of a one-year deal on reduced terms, as confirmed by the long-serving defender.
Kroos spent seven seasons playing in the same side as Ramos and believes the 35-year-old will return to the Santiago Bernabeu in the future.
"I am sure we will see him at Real Madrid again, whatever his role," Kroos said on his Einfach mal Luppen podcast.
"It would also be negligent not to have someone like that at the club and keep him. He can still contribute a lot in the future."
Ramos joined Madrid from Sevilla in 2005 and made 659 appearances for the club in all competitions, the last of those coming against Chelsea on May 5.
Kroos, who has two more years to run on his contract, admits it is difficult to envisage a future without the experienced defender at Madrid.
"I do not know Real Madrid without Ramos," he said. "It was inconceivable that he was not going to finish his career at Madrid. I expected him to stay.
"He is not only a first-rate player, but also the best captain I have ever seen because he always fought for the team on and off the field.
"If you ask 100 rival forwards which defender they least liked playing against, Ramos' name will be mentioned quite often. It was good to have him on our team."
The 21 games Ramos managed in an injury-plagued 2020-21, totalling 1,790 minutes, was the fewest he has played across a season since joining 16 years ago.
His previous lowest tally was the 33 matches he played in 2015-16, totalling 2,843 minutes in all competitions.
Ramos was left out of Spain's Euro 2020 squad due to his injury issues, but he has been linked with a string of big-name clubs ahead of the new campaign.
"I'm not sure where he will go next, but I'm sure he will make a good decision," Kroos added. "The seven years I spent with him, as a player and as a person, were incredible."
El Salvador and St Vincent and the Grenadines earn victories in CONCACAF Nations League B
El Salvador and St Vincent and the Grenadines emerged victorious in their respective matches on Sunday as the 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League B continued at Stadion Antonio Trenidat in Rincon, Bonaire. Both teams solidified their positions at the top of Group A, with El Salvador maintaining their perfect start to the campaign and St Vincent and the Grenadines picking up their first win.
St Vincent and the Grenadines earned a crucial 2-0 victory over Montserrat, marking their first win of the current campaign. Cornelius Stewart opened the scoring in the 15th minute after receiving a long ball from Bishon Richards, calmly slotting the ball past the Montserrat goalkeeper. Stewart, the Vincy Heat’s all-time scorer in the CONCACAF Nations League, continues his impressive form, having scored in every edition of the tournament.
Montserrat had a golden opportunity to equalize in the 60th minute when Brandon Barzey stepped up for a penalty kick. However, St Vincent and the Grenadines goalkeeper Lemus Christopher made a crucial save to maintain his team’s lead. Diel Spring sealed the win in the 88th minute, with Stewart providing the assist for the second goal.
Christopher’s five saves ensured a clean sheet for St Vincent and the Grenadines, as they secured all three points to stay in contention for promotion.
El Salvador retained their spot at the top of Group A with a 2-1 victory over Bonaire. The Salvadorans, who are eyeing a return to League A, finished September with two wins from two matches for a perfect six-point start.
The first half looked set to end goalless until an own goal by Bonaire’s Quincy Hoeve off a Nelson Blanco corner gave El Salvador the lead in the 45th+3 minute. El Salvador doubled their advantage in the 60th minute with a well-executed passing sequence that set up Emerson Mauricio for a simple finish, his second goal of the tournament.
Bonaire pulled one back in stoppage time, with Jort van der Sande heading home a corner in the 90th+1 minute, but it wasn’t enough to deny El Salvador the win.
With these results, El Salvador remains on top of Group A with six points, while St Vincent and the Grenadines sit second with four points. Bonaire follows in third with one point, and Montserrat is in fourth place without a point after the September matches.
Belize, Barbados, and St Kitts and Nevis secure wins in CONCACAF Nations League C
The 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League C saw exciting action on Saturday, with Belize, Barbados, and Saint Kitts and Nevis emerging victorious in their respective group encounters. All three teams secured first place in their groups with strong performances that marked winning starts to their campaigns.
Belize delivered a commanding 4-0 victory over Turks and Caicos Islands at the TCIFA National Stadium in Providenciales, securing the top spot in Group B. The visitors opened the scoring early, with Orlando Velasquez netting a header in the 12th minute off a free kick from Nahjib Guerra. Jordy Polanco doubled the lead in the 43rd minute, converting a free kick from midfield, and Michael Palacio added a third in the 66th minute from the penalty spot.
Polanco completed his brace in the 73rd minute, slotting home a left-footed shot after receiving a cross from Gabriel Ramos. Belize goalkeeper Charles Tillett preserved his clean sheet by denying Billy Forbes from the penalty spot in the 76th minute, sealing an emphatic victory for the visitors.
With the win, Belize took first place in Group B, holding the edge on goal difference.
Barbados earned a dramatic 3-2 victory over the Bahamas in a tightly contested Group A match at the Bethlehem Soccer Complex in Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands. Zachary Applewhite gave Barbados the early lead in the 10th minute with a strike from outside the box, but the Bahamas leveled the match in the 42nd minute through Brandon Adderley, who headed home a corner from Jordan Cheetham.
Adderley then put the Bahamas in front with a left-footed finish in the 66th minute, but Barbados rallied late. Ethan Taylor equalized in the 80th minute with a header from a corner, and two minutes later, Andre Applewhaite scored the match-winner with a strike from the left side of the box.
Barbados now sits atop Group A with three points, while the Bahamas remain on one point following their earlier draw with the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Saint Kitts and Nevis secured a dominant 4-1 win over the Cayman Islands at the Truman Bodden Complex in George Town, moving to the top of Group C. Kimaree Rogers opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a left-footed finish after connecting with a long cross from Malique Roberts. Tiquanny Williams doubled the lead in the 19th minute with a well-placed shot from the right side of the box and earned his second goal of the match in the 37th minute, capitalizing on a through ball from Gvaune Amory.
The Cayman Islands pulled one back in the 51st minute through Mason Duval, who headed home a cross from Joshwa Campbell, but Dionis Stephen restored Saint Kitts and Nevis' three-goal lead in the 72nd minute with a left-footed strike inside the box.
Saint Kitts and Nevis took first place in Group C, edging out the Cayman Islands on goal difference, with both teams sitting on three points.
These wins mark strong starts for Belize, Barbados, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, who now lead their respective groups as the 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League C continues.
'I deserved it' – Rodrygo frustrated by Ballon d'Or shortlist omission
Rodrygo believes he deserved to be in the reckoning for this year's Ballon d'Or, and thinks his versatility may have worked against him.
The Real Madrid attacker was a notable omission from the shortlist of 30 names that was announced last week.
The 23-year-old scored 17 goals and registered nine assists in 51 appearances for Los Blancos in all competitions last season.
However, while team-mates Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Federico Valverde, Antonio Rudiger, new Madrid star Kylian Mbappe and even the now-retired Toni Kroos were nominated, Rodrygo was snubbed.
"I was upset, I think I deserved it," Rodrygo told ESPN.
"I don't want to belittle the players who are there, I think they deserved it also.
"But I think I had a place in the 30. It was a surprise but there is not much I can do as I'm not the one who decides these things."
Rodrygo has played on the right flank and up front under Carlo Ancelotti, and he suggested that does not always get the best out of him.
"Often, I'm just filling spaces," Rodrygo added.
"Is someone missing there? Put Rodrygo in. Is someone missing on the right? Rodrygo. Is someone missing as number nine? Rodrygo. That's it.
"It may get in my way a little, but I'm a team player."
Only three players – Ilkay Gundogan (211), Valverde (211) and Iago Aspas (193) – contributed to more shots in open play in LaLiga last season than Rodrygo (171), who created 80 chances for his team-mates.
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