Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Raphael Varane were among those to pay tribute to Sergio Ramos following his retirement from international football.
The veteran defender, a World Cup winner and Spain's most-capped men's player, called time on his La Roja career on Thursday.
Ramos' decision came after new head coach Luis de la Fuente informed him he would not be part of his plans, after his absence at both Euro 2020 and Qatar 2022.
The news sparked an outpouring of support from team-mates past and present, with several taking to social media to congratulate him on a storied international career.
PSG forward Mbappe and Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos both called him: "The best."
Manchester United defender Varane, who played with Ramos at the Santiago Bernabeu, referred to him as a "legend", while current Los Blancos forward Vinicius Junior posted a crown emoji.
Neymar, another PSG team-mate, offered a trio of applause icons while Achraf Hakimi, whose Morocco side ended Spain's run at Qatar 2022, said: "Respect to you."
Ramos, who also won a pair of European Championships in 2008 and 2012 either side of his World Cup triumph at South Africa 2010, won 180 caps for Spain.
He made his international debut in 2005, in a friendly victory over China, and would go on to score 23 goals, ranking him ninth on the country's all-time scorer list.
After last featuring as a substitute against Kosovo in 2021, Ramos was subsequently overlooked by former head coach Luis Enrique for Euro 2020 and Qatar 2022.
Barcelona could demand Real Madrid replay if ‘phantom goal’ deemed legal
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has threatened legal action and could demand a replay after his side were denied a goal against Real Madrid at the weekend.
Lamine Yamal thought he had scored in the 28th minute of Sunday’s 3-2 LaLiga loss at the Bernabeu but, after a lengthy VAR check, it was ruled the ball had not cross the line.
The Spanish competition does not use goalline technology.
Laporta has requested footage and audio of the decision-making over this “phantom goal” incident from the Spanish Football Federation and will then consider further action.
He said in a statement on the club’s website, fcbarcelona.com: “If, once this documentation has been analysed, the club understands that an error was made in the revision of the incident, we will take all available measures to reverse the situation, without discounting, obviously, any necessary legal action.
“If it is confirmed that it was a legal goal, we will move ahead and we do not discount requesting that the game be replayed, just as has happened in another game in Europe due to a VAR error.”
Laporta was referring to a decision to replay a Belgian Pro League between Anderlecht and Genk because of a VAR error earlier this season.
Real went on to win the match 3-2 with a stoppage-time winner from Jude Bellingham and are now 11 points clear of Barca at the top of the table.
Bolt impressed with Jude Bellingham’s impact at Real Madrid; challenges Mbappe to 100m sprint
Football fan Usain Bolt has praised Jude Bellingham’s impact at Real Madrid and challenged Kylian Mbappe to show him how fast he is over 100 metres.
Former sprinter Bolt met Bellingham on the red carpet ahead of the Laureus World Sports Awards in Madrid on Monday, where the England midfielder won the World Breakthrough of the Year prize.
The pair re-enacted Bellingham’s open arms goal celebration, which was seen again on Sunday after a stoppage time El Clasico winner against Barcelona.
It was Bellingham’s 21st goal of an extraordinary first season in Madrid, which could yet end up with a LaLiga and Champions League double for the 20-year-old.
“I think he’s impressed a lot of people, not just me,” said Bolt, a keen footballer.
“Coming into Real Madrid we expected great things from him. But he’s stepped up to a level that we didn’t expect him to be this great.
“He’s shown his young talent that he will be among the top footballers throughout his career.
“It’s a pleasure to meet him and just have a conversation with him.
“The young generation is really stepping up, so big up to the Jude.”
Jamaican sprinter Bolt, now 37, won eight Olympic gold medals in a glittering career on the track and remains the world record holder over 100 and 200 metres.
He was asked about Mbappe’s pace, with the France forward recognised as one of the quickest players in world football.
Bolt said: “I would love to have competed with Mbappe in my prime to see how close he would be (to him).
“I feel one day he just needs to run 100 metres and let me see the time.”
Bolt says he will be at the Olympic Games in Paris this summer and is “excited to see everything”.
He said: “I’m keen to have an all-access pass to everything. Anything I can do on that day I will be doing it. I’ll be like a kid in a candy store.
“But I’ll definitely be at the track on the days of the 100 and 200 metres finals.”
The 25th Laureus World Sports Awards took place on Monday, April 22 in Madrid, celebrating the leading names in sport from across the globe. To find out more, visit www.laureus.com.
Inter Milan beat rivals AC Milan to secure 20th Serie A title
Inter Milan claimed their second Serie A title in four seasons after beating AC Milan 2-1 at San Siro.
Goals from Francesco Acerbi and Marcus Thuram gave Inter the three points they required to be crowned champions, although they had to endure a nervous final 10 minutes after Fikayo Tomori pulled a goal back for the home team.
Inter wrapped up the title with five games to spare, standing 17 points clear of their city rivals, who needed a win or draw to delay celebrations.
But they were on the back foot after Acerbi’s 18th-minute header opened the scoring, before Thuram’s shot early in the second half put Inter well on the way to securing a 20th league crown.
Tomori’s effort set up a tense finish, though, in an ill-tempered clash, and there were red cards for Inter’s Denzel Dumfries and two AC Milan players – Theo Hernandez and Davide Calabria – during stoppage time.
Bologna, meanwhile, stayed firmly on course for Champions League qualification by beating Roma 3-1 at the Stadio Olimpico.
Bologna moved just two points behind third-placed Juventus – and seven clear of Roma in fifth – following a dominant display.
Oussama El Azzouzi opened the scoring after 14 minutes, and Joshua Zirkzee doubled the lead with a left-footed shot on the stroke of half-time.
Roma gave themselves a lifeline when Sardar Azmoun netted after the break, but Bologna kept the upper hand and sealed all three points through Alexis Saelemaekers’ goal midway through the second period.
And in Spain’s LaLiga, second-half goals from Youssef En-Nesyri and Isaac Romero delivered a 2-1 home victory for Sevilla over Mallorca, with Abdon Prats claiming a late consolation for the visitors.
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