Just as they get set to play Canadian Premier League club Forge FC in the first round of the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, CF Monterrey made international headlines this week with the reported signing of global superstar central defender Sergio Ramos.
Multiple reports, including from Fabrizio Romano and ESPN indicate that Ramos is currently in Mexico undergoing a medical evaluation, after which he will put pen to paper with the Liga MX club. The move will be a free transfer, with Ramos having spent this past season playing with Sevilla in La Liga.
The 38-year-old is one of the best defenders in football history, with a stunning list of accolades and accomplishments during his 21-year playing career. He is a four-time European champion and five-time La Liga champion from his sixteen seasons with Real Madrid and won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2008 and 2012 European Championships with Spain.
🚨🇲🇽 Sergio Ramos to Rayados, here we go! Pre-contract signed today, he’s set to travel to Mexico for formal steps.
After Sevilla chapter, Ramos will play in Mexican league as he joins on free transfer. pic.twitter.com/WP1msnZLrB
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 2, 2025
Whether or not Ramos will be made available against Forge once his signing is confirmed remains to be seen. A trip to the frigid Hamilton Stadium on Wednesday is unlikely, but perhaps next week at home could be seen as an ideal time for the Spaniard to make his debut. Monterrey do have a league match, against Juárez on the road, in between their Champions Cup fixtures.
Fans of the Hamilton club will remember that Chivas Guadalajara signed Mexican international Javier Hernández ahead of last year’s Champions Cup matchup but he did not appear in either leg as he recovered from injury.
The 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup begins Tuesday. Feb. 4. Canadian Premier League clubs Forge FC and Cavalry FC will be taking on Mexican sides CF Monterrey and Pumas UNAM, respectively, with their matchups beginning Feb. 5 and 6.
Canadian viewers can watch the tournament live on OneSoccer. For more information on the Concacaf Champions Cup, click here, and for further coverage of the tournament at CanPL.ca, click here.