Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos has said he is very confident that he and his Spanish national team-mates can defend their World Cup crown in Brazil next year.
La Roja won the 2010 final with an Andres Iniesta goal late into extra time to give Spain a 1-0 win over the Netherlands in a ill-tempered match, but Sergio Ramos played a crucial part in Spain reaching the final, starting every game and keeping five clean sheets.
Spain go into the tournament as favourites, having won the 2010 world cup and both the 2008 and 2012 European championships, and Ramos believes that La Roja will revel under the intense scrutiny.
“Spain will feel confident to defend the title. With the players that we have it will be easier, even as we know we cannot live on the past,” he told reporters at a press conference.
“We live in an era of competition among very good players and that is why we must all compete to be on the final list and help the national team. What we achieved in South Africa was very difficult and much work remains ahead of us.”
Ramos is the youngest ever player to reach 100 caps for a country, beating Lukas Podolski’s record for Germany.
