Sergio Ramos names the toughest opponent he faced in his career

Among those challenges, he previously singled out Zlatan Ibrahimovic—who had stints at Ajax, Inter Milan, and Barcelona—as one of the most formidable forwards he ever encountered, recalling his battles with the Swedish striker during a past Q&A session.

“Ibrahimovic caused a lot of trouble with his size and holds the ball up well,” Ramos said. “He plays great with his back to goal and was fast.”

Ramos, who has won the Champions League four times, also highlighted former Barcelona forward Samuel Eto’o as one of the most challenging opponents he faced. However, the player who stood out above all others was Ronaldinho.

The former Real Madrid defender has repeatedly mentioned the Brazilian legend when asked to name the toughest opponent of his career.

“For me, the most unstoppable is Ronaldinho,” he said, as quoted by Telegrapfi. “At his best, hardly any defender could stop him.”

Ronaldinho arrived at Barcelona from Paris Saint-Germain in 2003, going on to secure multiple domestic and European titles while dazzling fans with his skill at Camp Nou.

Following his successful stint in Spain, he continued his career with AC Milan, Flamengo, Atletico Mineiro, Querétaro, and Fluminense before retiring in 2015.

The Brazilian legend has often cited former AC Milan defender Paolo Maldini as the most challenging opponent he faced, a view echoed by fellow countryman Ronaldo Nazario.

Speaking to FourFourTwo, Ronaldinho said: “It has to be [Paolo] Maldini. Too many skills. It is impossible not to be amazed by how he made it all look effortless, especially when you get to play with him.”

Ronaldo also told Italian outlet Il Messaggero: “Toughest defender I’ve faced in my career? Paolo Maldini would be the toughest ever. Among other Italian defenders, I would say [Fabio] Cannavaro, [Allesandro] Nesta and [Pietro] Vierchowod, all of which were very strong.”