Sergio Ramos pays tribute to Real Madrid with shirt number gesture | OneFootball

Former Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos with wear number 93 for his new club CF Monterrey after reportedly spurning the advances of Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce to join the Mexican outfit.

Those particular digits are also tattooed on Ramos' fingers and represent the minute at which he scored a dramatic equaliser for Real against city rivals Atletico Madrid in the 2014 Champions League final. Carlo Ancelotti's side romped to a 4-1 win in extra time to secure the club's long-awaited tenth triumph in the competition's history.

Ramos left Madrid in acrimonious circumstances to join Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2021. After spending last season back at his boyhood club Sevilla, the 38-year-old (who turns 39 next month) has been a free agent since July.

The World Cup winner has been linked with various moves over the previous six months, with everything from a Real Madrid reunion to an offer from Egyptian giants Zamalek put forward.

Fenerbahce, the Turkish outfit led by Ramos' former Real Madrid manager Mourinho, had been "close" to securing the veteran's signature according to ESPN, only for the centre-back to have a late change of heart.

Once Ramos' move to Monterrey was confirmed, it was quickly revealed that he would wear number 93 - despite regulations in the Mexican top flight restricting players to only don digits between one and 35. Ramos, clearly, is above those regulations - much to the delight of his former employers.

Real Madrid's official Instagram account called the gesture: "A tribute to Madridismo, a reminder of a moment that changed our history. Eternally grateful, Sergio. We wish you lots of luck and success."

Ramos will have a vested interest in how many supporters will be wearing his unique 93 shirt. As part of the contract that will keep him in Monterrey until the end of 2025 (with the option for another year's extension), Ramos is entitled to 2% of funds raised from his shirt's sales, per MARCA.