<p>Sergio Ramos retired from international duty with Spain on Thursday, saying new coach Luis de la Fuente told him he did not count on him.</p>.<p>The Paris Saint-Germain defender, who won the 2010 World Cup and 2008 and 2012 European Championship with La Roja, last played for Spain in March 2021.</p>.<p>Ramos, who turns 37 in March, published an open letter on social media in which he indicated the new coach forced his hand.</p>.<p>"The time has come, the time to say goodbye to the national team, our beloved and exciting Roja," wrote Ramos.</p>.<p>"This morning I received a call from the current coach who told me that he does not and will not count on me, regardless of the level I can show or how I continue my career.</p>.<p>"With much sorrow, it is the end of a journey that I hoped would be longer and that would end with a better taste in my mouth, at the height of all the successes we have achieved with our Roja."</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/football/uefa-europa-league-di-maria-hat-trick-sends-juventus-to-last-16-1194315.html" target="_blank">UEFA Europa League: Di Maria hat-trick sends Juventus to last 16</a></strong></p>.<p>Ramos played 180 times for Spain, making more appearances than any other player in the country's history.</p>.<p>Despite recovering from injury and building form with PSG Luis Enrique did not call him up for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.</p>.<p>De la Fuente replaced Luis Enrique in December after Spain crashed out of the World Cup against Morocco in the last 16.</p>.<p>Spain's next matches are qualifiers for Euro 2024 in March against Norway and Scotland.</p>.<p>"I humbly believe that this career deserved to end because of a personal decision or because my performance was not up to what our national team deserves, but not because of my age or other reasons that, without having heard them, I have felt," continued Ramos.</p>.<p>The defender highlighted other veteran players still thriving, including PSG team-mate Lionel Messi, who won the World Cup last year with Argentina at 35.</p>.<p>"Because being young or less young is not a virtue or a defect, it is just a temporary characteristic that is not necessarily related to performance or ability," added Ramos.</p>.<p>He referred to Messi and two former Real Madrid team-mates, Croatia's Luka Modric, who is 37, and Portugal's Pepe, 39, who all played at the World Cup.</p>.<p>"I look with admiration and envy at Modric, Messi, Pepe... the essence, tradition, values, meritocracy and justice in football.</p>.<p>"Unfortunately it will not be like that for me, because football is not always fair and football is never just football."</p>
<p>Sergio Ramos retired from international duty with Spain on Thursday, saying new coach Luis de la Fuente told him he did not count on him.</p>.<p>The Paris Saint-Germain defender, who won the 2010 World Cup and 2008 and 2012 European Championship with La Roja, last played for Spain in March 2021.</p>.<p>Ramos, who turns 37 in March, published an open letter on social media in which he indicated the new coach forced his hand.</p>.<p>"The time has come, the time to say goodbye to the national team, our beloved and exciting Roja," wrote Ramos.</p>.<p>"This morning I received a call from the current coach who told me that he does not and will not count on me, regardless of the level I can show or how I continue my career.</p>.<p>"With much sorrow, it is the end of a journey that I hoped would be longer and that would end with a better taste in my mouth, at the height of all the successes we have achieved with our Roja."</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/football/uefa-europa-league-di-maria-hat-trick-sends-juventus-to-last-16-1194315.html" target="_blank">UEFA Europa League: Di Maria hat-trick sends Juventus to last 16</a></strong></p>.<p>Ramos played 180 times for Spain, making more appearances than any other player in the country's history.</p>.<p>Despite recovering from injury and building form with PSG Luis Enrique did not call him up for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.</p>.<p>De la Fuente replaced Luis Enrique in December after Spain crashed out of the World Cup against Morocco in the last 16.</p>.<p>Spain's next matches are qualifiers for Euro 2024 in March against Norway and Scotland.</p>.<p>"I humbly believe that this career deserved to end because of a personal decision or because my performance was not up to what our national team deserves, but not because of my age or other reasons that, without having heard them, I have felt," continued Ramos.</p>.<p>The defender highlighted other veteran players still thriving, including PSG team-mate Lionel Messi, who won the World Cup last year with Argentina at 35.</p>.<p>"Because being young or less young is not a virtue or a defect, it is just a temporary characteristic that is not necessarily related to performance or ability," added Ramos.</p>.<p>He referred to Messi and two former Real Madrid team-mates, Croatia's Luka Modric, who is 37, and Portugal's Pepe, 39, who all played at the World Cup.</p>.<p>"I look with admiration and envy at Modric, Messi, Pepe... the essence, tradition, values, meritocracy and justice in football.</p>.<p>"Unfortunately it will not be like that for me, because football is not always fair and football is never just football."</p>