Former Real Madrid player Jorge Valdano praised Real Madrid and Spain captain Sergio Ramos’s personality and leadership qualities in his weekly column.

“Sergio Ramos enters the dressing room as if Real Madrid belonged to him and onto the field as if he invented football,” Valdano said in El Pais.

Ramos scored Spain’s second goal in their 3-2 defeat against Croatia in the UEFA Nations League. Ramos’s panenka penalty cancelled Tin Jedvaj’s first goal, but his second failed to generate a reply from the visitors.

“When the other players hide, he challenges the world with a Panenka penalty,” Valdano added.