Aaron James Ramsey born 26 December
1990 is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a
midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal and the Wales national
team. Ramsey mainly plays as a box-to-box midfielder, but has also
been deployed on the left and right wings. He played as a
schoolboy for Cardiff City, where he spent eight years in youth
football, became the club's youngest ever first team player, and
made 22 appearances for the senior team – including the 2008 FA
Cup Final.
Ramsey moved to Arsenal in 2008 in a £5 million deal, where he
quickly gained first-team experience. However, his career stalled
significantly after he suffered a broken leg in a match against
Stoke City in February 2010. After two loan spells away from
Arsenal, he returned to full fitness and re-established himself as
a regular starter during the 2011–12 season. Ramsey was a key
player for Arsenal in the 2013–14 season campaign, scoring 16
goals in all competitions, including the winner in the 2014 FA Cup
Final against Hull City. He also played in the 2015 FA Cup Final,
which Arsenal won, and scored a second FA Cup winning goal in
2017. Ramsey made his full
international debut for Wales in 2008 and was part of their UEFA
Euro 2016 campaign, where he was included in the Team of the
Tournament. He also represented Great Britain at the 2012
Olympics.
Aaron Ramsey 2018 ● Player of the Season
As a child, Ramsey attended Ysgol Gyfun Cwm
Rhymni (Rhymney Valley Comprehensive School) in Caerphilly County
Borough. Ramsey's first introduction to football was at the age of
nine, when he attended an Urdd training session at Caerphilly.
Before turning to football, he was a keen rugby player and
athlete. As a schoolboy he played as a winger for Caerphilly
R.F.C.s youth development programme, where he was approached by
scouts from rugby league side St. Helens after playing in a youth
match against thembut had already been signed by Cardiff City's
youth academy.
Ramsey was Welsh Schools' Athletic Association
pentathlon champion in 2005 and was ranked 4th in Great Britain in
the under 17 age group in 2006. He lived with his parents, Marlene
and Kevin, and his brother, Josh, until moving to London where he
was housemates with former Cardiff City teammate, Chris Gunter,
who was then playing for Tottenham Hotspur. Ramsey is bilingual,
speaking both Welsh and English.
Ramsey married childhood sweetheart Colleen
Rowlands at Caldicot Castle in Monmouthshire, Wales on 8 June
2014. They have a son, Sonny, born in 2015.Ramsey is a supporter
of the World Wildlife Fund and has spoken of his "passion" for
animals and their conservation.In January 2014 Ramsey signed a
modelling contract with Elite Model Management London. Ramsey has
been sponsored by Adidas.
Aaron Ramsey 2018 - Skills, Goals,
Assists & Passes 2017/18
During the 2013–14 Premier League season, Aaron
Ramsey developed into one of Arsenal's most influential players.
Arsenal's manager Arsène Wenger has described Ramsey as a
"complete midfielder", and stated: "I was a midfielder, and I
would have loved to have had what he has. He can defend, he can
attack, he can score goals. What more do you want?" Ramsey was
rewarded for his outstanding form during the 2013–14 season by
being named Arsenal's Player of the Season.
Ramsey blends superior technique with a powerful running style.
Long known for his technical ability, during the 2013–14 Premier
League season, Ramsey also developed into a strong runner with the
ball. Wenger observed, "Ramsey is now brushing opponents off and
running away from them with ease." The Arsenal website's first
team biography series writes that Ramsey possesses "a mixture of
tireless energy, strong technique, tigerish tackling and quick
transitions". Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour said that
Ramsey could "become as influential as Steven Gerrard".
In November 2013, Ramsey was ranked alongside Manchester City's
Yaya Touré as the best central midfielder in the 2013–14 Premier
League season. Ramsey had touched the ball more times than any
other player 1,115 and had made the most tackles 57. On 24
December 2013, Ramsey and Touré were reported to be the only two
players in the Premier League to have completed more than 1,000
passes.
Despite missing over three months of the 2013–14 Premier League,
Ramsey remained the Arsenal player who has won the most tackles.
He was also the team's second-top scorer for the season (16
goals),and provided the second-highest number of assists for the
season (8). In December 2015, former Liverpool player Steven
Gerrard hailed Ramsey as "the best attacking midfielder in the
Premier League".
Aaron Ramsey - All 20 Goals & Assists
(2017/18)
Cardiff City
After impressing in an Urdd tournament as a youngster he signed
for Cardiff City, who beat off competition from Newcastle United,
as a schoolboy at the age of eight, working his way through the
club's youth system. After a few more years he eventually made his
Cardiff City debut in the last home game of the 2006–07
Championship season, coming on to replace Paul Parry in the final
minute of the 1–0 defeat to Hull City on 28 April 2007. In doing
so, Ramsey became the youngest player to ever play for Cardiff
City, aged just 16 years and 124 days, beating the previous record
holder John Toshack. In June 2007, Cardiff City turned down a bid
of over £1 million for Ramsey from a London-based Premier League
club. The club was not named, but it was widely believed that they
continued to watch Ramsey at every available opportunity during
the 2007–08 season. Cardiff also turned down a £1 million offer,
although the deal was to start with a payment of £200,000 and rise
depending on his future achievements, from Everton.
Ramsey made his first league appearance of the 2007–08 season on 6
October, when he came on as a late substitute for Jimmy Floyd
Hasselbaink in the 2–1 home win over Burnley. Ramsey signed his
first professional contract in December 2007 and went on to make
his first full professional start for Cardiff on 5 January in the
FA Cup against Chasetown replacing the suspended Stephen McPhail.
An impressive performance from Ramsey saw him head in the second
Cardiff goal as they went on to win 3–1. Due to his performance
against Chasetown, Ramsey was nominated for the Player of the
Round award, eventually losing out to Coventry's Michael Mifsud.
On 26 April, he scored his first league goal in a 3–3 draw against
Burnley. He went on to make his first career league start three
weeks later in a 3–1 win over Queens Park Rangers and began to
establish himself in the first team, making several more starts in
the Cardiff side. He made a total of 22 appearances during the
season, his first full season of professional football, and played
in five of the club's six FA Cup matches, including the final,
becoming the second youngest player to play in an FA Cup Final
after Curtis Weston, who played in the 2004 FA Cup Final for
Millwall.
Following Ramsey's impressive performance in the 2–1 FA Cup
quarter-final win over Middlesbrough it was revealed that
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had talked to Cardiff
boss Dave Jones to inquire about Ramsey, who were later joined by
Arsenal and Everton in following his progress. Ramsey in fact grew
up a Manchester United fan, but in the end he decided not to join
them. Cardiff Chairman Peter Ridsdale told the BBC that Arsenal's
bid of £5 million up front had been accepted. Arsenal's bid did
not include a loan clause that would allow Ramsey to stay at
Cardiff for another season. Cardiff City assistant manager and
former Arsenal player and coach Terry Burton, who was credited for
having brought through Ramsey, also helped recommend him to
Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, having retained a longstanding
connection to the club. During the transfer negotiations, Burton
also advised that Ramsey join Arsenal, citing the similarity
between the player and the club's overall style of play.
Aaron Ramsey | Football Focus | Arsenal |
Ramsey made his competitive debut for Arsenal in
the Champions League third qualifying round against FC Twente on
13 August 2008 and his league debut a month later against
Blackburn Rovers on 13 September 2008, marking it with an assist
to Emmanuel Adebayor for Arsenal's fourth and Adebayor's third. On
23 September 2008 he completed 90 minutes in Arsenal's third round
League Cup game against Sheffield United which Arsenal won 6–0,
when he added two more assists to his season's tally, setting up
Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela. He scored his first goal for the
club in their 5–2 victory away against Fenerbahçe in the group
stages of the UEFA Champions League by shooting a long-range shot
which hit the post and went in, becoming the fifth youngest scorer
in Champions League history, and only the second player born in
the 1990s to score a Champions League goal. Ramsey was named
amongst a host of young players poised to shine in 2009 by
Fifa.com. On 1 July 2009, he signed a new long-term contract at
Arsenal.
On 22 August 2009, Ramsey scored his first league goal in a
one-on-one against goalkeeper David James as Arsenal beat
Portsmouth 4–1 at Emirates Stadium and then set up Andrey Arshavin
in a 3–1 home win over Celtic in the Champions League play-offs.
In the League Cup fourth round win against Liverpool, on the 28th
October, he produced an impressive performance and set up Nicklas
Bendtner earning himself the Man of the Match award.
Ramsey made his first Premier League start of the
season on 7 November 2009 as Arsenal beat Wolverhampton Wanderers
4–1 at Molineux with Ramsey completing 90-minutes for the first
time in the top-flight. Four days after the game, he was awarded
the Welsh Young Player of the Year award.On 5 December 2009,
Ramsey scored his second league goal of the season in a
comfortable 2–0 victory over Stoke City. On 30 December, Ramsey
went on to score his third goal of the season, along with an
assist in the 4–1 victory against Portsmouth. On 3 January 2010,
Ramsey scored a 78th-minute equaliser in the FA Cup third round
tie against West Ham United at Upton Park. Arsenal went on to win
the tie 2–1, with Eduardo scoring an 83rd-minute header. Ramsey
went on to be named E.ON Man of the Match. Ramsey has been
described by manager Arsène Wenger as: "An offence-minded Roy
Keane" and "an all-round player, with a fantastic ability to cover
distances."
On 27 February 2010, Arsenal played Stoke City at the Britannia
Stadium, where a tackle by Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross caused a
double fracture in Ramsey's lower right leg.Ramsey was
hospitalised, and it was later confirmed that he had broken his
tibia and fibula. No return date was initially given, but it was
announced on 20 March that he started walking without his
crutches. Ramsey signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal on 1
June 2010.He returned to training in October 2010. On 23 November
2010, Ramsey made his return to football for the Arsenal reserve
team against the Wolverhampton Wanderers reserve team at Arsenal's
London Colney training ground.
Loan to Nottingham Forest
Ramsey was loaned out to Nottingham Forest on 25
November 2010 until 3 January 2011. The move was to allow him to
gain match fitness. Ramsey made his Forest debut on 29 November
2010 as a 61st-minute substitute against Leicester City. He made
his first start against Derby County in the East Midlands derby
where he played 60 minutes. The match ended 5–2 to Nottingham
Forest. Due to adverse weather conditions, Ramsey was limited to
just five appearances for Forest before returning to Arsenal in
January 2011. Ramsey returned to Arsenal on 5 January 2011 before
the club's FA Cup tie against Leeds United in which he was
an unused substitute. Ramsey was also an unused substitute at
Portman Road on 12 January for the League Cup semi-final against
Ipswich Town.
Cardiff (loan)
Ramsey returned to Cardiff City in a one-month loan move in order
to gain match fitness, joining former Arsenal youngster Jay
Emmanuel-Thomas who also joined Cardiff City on loan in January
2011. Ramsey was handed his first start for Cardiff against
Reading.Ramsey again started for Cardiff City in the South Wales
derby against Swansea City where he provided an assist for Craig
Bellamy in the game ending 1–0. Ramsey again completed 90 minutes
for Cardiff in the game against Scunthorpe United and Burnley. A
minor thigh strain ruled Ramsey out of the match against
Nottingham Forest. He made his come back against Leicester City,
scoring in a 2–0 victory.On 25 February, Cardiff asked for a loan
extension until the end of the season with a 24-hour call back
option; however, Arsenal turned this offer down and Ramsey
returned to Arsenal.
2010–11
Ramsey ended the season with seven league appearances. He made his
Arsenal return as a 72nd-minute substitute against Manchester
United in the FA Cup which Arsenal lost 2–0. He made his first
start since his injury for Arsenal on 19 March against West
Bromwich Albion. On 1 May, Ramsey scored his first goal of the
season in a 1–0 home Premier League victory over Manchester
United. He also won the Man of the Match award.
2011–12
On 16 August 2011, Ramsey made his first Champions League
appearance of the season at home against Udinese. In the fourth
minute of the match he assisted on Theo Walcott's goal that gave
Arsenal the 1–0 advantage in the first leg of the match. Four days
later he played a league game at the Emirates Stadium against
Liverpool where on the 78th minute of play, Ignasi Miquel's
attempted clearance hit Ramsey and looped into the back of the net
past Wojciech Szczęsny for an own goal. The game finished 2–0 to
Liverpool.
On 17 September 2011, Ramsey assisted on Mikel Arteta for
Arsenal's second goal as the team lost 4–3 away to Blackburn
Rovers in a Premier League game. He was widely criticised for his
performance lately for slowing down the tempo of the game and
being indecisive in passing. However, he had a solid game during a
convincing 3–0 Premier League win against Bolton Wanderers on 24
September 2011. He provided an assist for the Arsenal captain
Robin van Persie by a through ball in less than one minute after
the half-time break. He made another important through pass to
Theo Walcott on the 54th minute that saw David Wheater sent off
for pulling Walcott from the back.
On 19 October 2011, he scored a dramatic last minute winner
against Olympique Marseille in an important group stage match of
the Champions League. On 23 October 2011, Ramsey assisted Gervinho
for the first goal in a 3–1 win for the Gunners. He scored the
equaliser on 11 February 2012 in a 2–1 win away to Sunderland.
2012–13
Ramsey was a substitute for Arsenal's first four league games of
the 2012–13 season. On 15 September he replaced Francis Coquelin
before hitting the post in the buildup to Arsenal's fifth goal in
a 6–1 win against Southampton. On 23 September, he made his first
start of the season against defending champions Manchester City,
impressing in the right flank role. On 3 October, Ramsey scored a
chip shot with his right foot in a 3–1 win against Olympiacos in a
Champions League group stage match.
On 19 December 2012, it was announced that Ramsey, along with
teammates Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Kieran Gibbs, Jack Wilshere and
Carl Jenkinson, had signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.
Due to his rise in form, he was voted man of the match in two
consecutive games by the Arsenal fans on Arsenal.com against
Norwich City and Everton. Ramsey was voted as Arsenal Player of
the Month award by the fans. He followed this up by scoring his
first league goal of the season in the 4–1 victory against Wigan
Athletic, which saw the Lancashire-based club relegated from the
Premier League.
2013–14
Ramsey started the 2013–14 season well, scoring in the first leg
of the Champions League play-off against Fenerbahçe and claiming
the Man of the Match award. In the return leg, he scored twice to
end the tie 5–0 on aggregate and secure Arsenal's place in the
group stage. Ramsey continued his fine form in Arsenal's 3–1 win
over Fulham in the second round of the Premier League, helping
Olivier Giroud score the first goal via a deflection, and being
named Man of the Match. The absence of Mikel Arteta from Arsenal's
midfield saw Arsène Wenger field Ramsey in a deeper midfield role
as opposed to 2011–12, and Ramsey thrived in the new role, with
another inspired midfield performance against Tottenham Hotspur in
the North London derby on 2 September, where he was involved in
the build-up play to Giroud's goal. He then scored twice against
Sunderland on 14 September, with his first goal being a
first-touch volley, and the second involving build-up play with
Giroud and new signing Mesut Özil.
Ramsey continued his excellent form by scoring in Arsenal's 2–1
win over Marseille in the Champions League at the Stade Vélodrome
and scoring the opener in a 3–1 Premier League win against Stoke
City four days later. On 28 September, he was again named as the
Man of the Match as he netted another goal and claimed an assist
in the away game against Swansea City, which Arsenal won 2–1.
Three days later, in a game against Napoli in a Champions League
fixture, he set up Özil's first goal for Arsenal. Ramsey won the
Premier League Player of the Month award for September.
On 19 October, he scored a solo goal against
Norwich City, which was his ninth goal for Arsenal in the season,
before assisting the fourth Arsenal goal in a 4–1 win. His good
form continued into November as he scored a spectacular long range
shot from outside of the box in a 2–0 win against Liverpool on 2
November to put Arsenal five points clear at the top of the
Premier League table with ten games played. He also scored a
crucial second-half header four days later against Borussia
Dortmund in a 1–0 away victory in the Champions League group
stages, bringing his goal tally to 13 in 21 appearances for club
and country. On 30 November, he scored two goals against his
former club Cardiff City, and refused to celebrate out of
respect.He received applause from Cardiff fans, with some even
joining Arsenal fans in singing his name late on. On 26 December,
he suffered a thigh strain in Arsenal's away fixture against West
Ham United,eventually missing over three months of the season.
Ramsey's early season form saw him voted Arsenal's Player of the
Month for four consecutive months between August and November
2013. On 18 March 2014, he signed a new contract extension with
the Gunners.On 6 April, Ramsey returned from injury as a
substitute in Arsenal's 3–0 loss at Everton. On 12 April, he was
named in the starting line-up for the first time since Boxing Day
in the FA Cup semi-final against Wigan Athletic, playing 113
minutes before being substituted for Kim Källström. On 20 April,
he scored once and was credited with two assists in Arsenal's 3–0
win away to Hull City.
On 18 April, Ramsey was named as one of the six players on the
shortlist for the PFA Young Player of the Year award, and on 11
May he scored a volley to help his side to a 2–0 win over Norwich
City on the last day of the Premier League 2013–14 season,
relegating their opponents. On 17 May, Ramsey scored the winning
goal in the 109th minute of the 2014 FA Cup Final against Hull
City, ending Arsenal's nine-year wait for a trophy. On 4 June
2014, Ramsey was named Arsenal's Player of the Season after his
performance of the 2013–14 season with 58 percent of the votes.
2014–15
Ramsey started the 2014–15 season by scoring Arsenal's second goal
in their 3–0 victory of Manchester City in the Community Shield on
10 August. Six days later, in the club's first league match of the
season, at home against Crystal Palace, he scored the winning goal
in injury-time to secure a 2–1 comeback victory. On 19 August, in
the first leg of Arsenal's Champions League play-off away to
Beşiktaş, he was sent off for a second booking in a goalless draw.
Four days later, he scored in 2–2 draw at Goodison Park against
Everton.
On 3 December, Ramsey assisted Alexis Sánchez's late winner
against Southampton at home. The following league fixture saw him
scoring a volley against Stoke City in a thrilling 3–2 defeat at
the Britannia, ending a three-month goal drought in the process.
On 9 December, he scored two goals against Galatasaray in
Arsenal's last group stage match in the Champions League, helping
Arsenal to a 4–1 win and second position in the group. On 4 May,
Ramsey scored Arsenal's second goal in a 1–3 away league win at
Hull City. On 30 May 2015, Ramsey was selected to start in the
2015 FA Cup Final, playing the full 90 minutes in a 4–0 win over
Aston Villa at Wembley Stadium.
2015–16
Ramsey scored his first goal of the 2015–16 season in a 3–0 win
against Watford on 17 October at Vicarage Road. On 8 March, Ramsey
suffered a thigh injury in a 4–0 away victory over Hull City in an
FA Cup replay, and was ruled out for five weeks.
2016–17
After Mikel Arteta's departure, Ramsey was handed the number 8
jersey. On 7 March 2017, Ramsey scored his first goal of the
2016–17 season from outside the penalty area in a 1–2 away victory
over Preston in the third round of the FA Cup. Ramsey scored his
second goal of the season against non-league outfit Lincoln City
in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, rounding Lincoln's goalkeeper
before drilling it into the net for Arsenal's last goal in a 5–0
victory. On 27 May 2017, he scored the winning goal for Arsenal in
the 2017 FA Cup Final for a 2–1 win over Chelsea. It was the
second time he scored the winning goal for Arsenal in the FA Cup
final, after previously doing so in 2014 in a 3–2 win over Hull
City.
2017–18
Ramsey started in Arsenal's opening 2017–18 season Premier League
fixture against Leicester City, bringing the Gunner's back to
level at 3–3 in the 83rd minute in an eventual 4–3 victory. On 22
October 2017, Ramsey scored Arsenal's fourth in a 2–5 away victory
against Everton at Goodison Park. A week later on 28 October 2017,
Ramsey scored the winner in a 2–1 win against Swansea City,
slotting into the bottom-left corner from a Sead Kolašinac pass
via the right-foot of Swansea goalie Łukasz Fabiański. The goal
meant that Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger was victorious in his
800th Premier League game in charge and also was Ramsey's 50th
goal for Arsenal. On 4 February 2018, Ramsey scored his first
career hat-trick in a 5–1 home victory against Everton. Ramsey
scored another big goal for the Gunners, netting the second goal
in their 0–2 win over A.C. Milan at San Siro Stadium in the Europa
League round of 16 first leg tie on 8 March 2018. He made a smart
run on the brink of half time, receiving a pass from Mesut Özil
before rounding Milan keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and slotting it
into the empty net with great composure. After having one goal
ruled out early on for offside, Ramsey scored a brace in the 4-1
quarter-final first leg victory over CSKA Moscow in the Europa
League. The first a simple side-foot from a Héctor Bellerín cross,
the second a brilliant instinctive volleyed flick over the
goalkeeper. At the end of the season, he was voted by Arsenal fans
as their player of the season, the second time he had received the
honour.
Aaron Ramsey 2018/2019 - Arsenal - Amazing
Skills Show
Ramsey had his first taste of international
action when he was called up for the Wales U17s in 2005. A part of
the new wave of young talents to emerge from the Wales youth
teams, he debuted for the U21 side on 21 August 2007 in a 4–3 away
win over Sweden U21s several months shy of his seventeenth
birthday, breaking former club mate Chris Gunter's record. Youth
coach Brian Flynn revealed that Ramsey had been purposely held
back in the U21s to help qualify for the 2009 U21 European
Championships but they lost a close contest to England U21s in the
play-offs, where Ramsey himself scored a volley with his weaker
foot in the second leg at Villa Park.
Ramsey made his debut for the Wales national
football team on 19 November 2008, aged 17, playing 88 minutes of
a 1–0 away win in Denmark. On 14 October 2009, he scored his first
senior goal in the 2010 World Cup qualifier away at Liechtenstein
from a free kick awarded for a trip on Gareth Bale.As the World
Cup qualification campaign came to an end, he and 11 other senior
internationals were recalled to Flynn's preliminary U21 squad on
30 October for a qualifier but later withdrew. On 6 November,
Toshack also called him up for 14 November friendly against
Scotland. Wales won 3–0 and Ramsey was involved in all of them –
assisting David Edwards' opener, setting up Joe Ledley to assist
the second and then scoring a solo effort. Ramsey was awarded the
FAW's Young Player of the Year award that same month.
Manager Gary Speed appointed Ramsey as permanent captain of Wales,
beginning with the match against England on 26 March 2011. This
made him the youngest ever Wales captain at the age of 20 years 90
days, beating the record set by Mike England in 1964. He scored
his first goal as captain in Wales' final Nations Cup match
against Northern Ireland on 27 May 2011.
Ramsey was one of five Welshmen selected to compete at the 2012
Olympic Football Tournament for Great Britain. He featured in all
three group games, the latter two as a starter. In the
quarter-finals against South Korea on 4 August at Cardiff's
Millennium Stadium, he equalised with a penalty kick and the match
finished 1–1; he scored again in the penalty shootout which his
team lost.
In October 2012, Ashley Williams was appointed captain of Wales by
Chris Coleman, replacing Ramsey after a run of defeats, but the
manager said Ramsey would most likely be captain of Wales again in
his career. On 22 March 2013, Ramsey scored an equalising
73rd-minute penalty in a 2–1 victory over fellow British rivals
Scotland in a Group A World Cup qualification fixture, however he
received a red card for a foul on James McArthur during added
time.
Ramsey - Wales' top European Cup scorers
Arsenal
FA Cup: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2016–17
FA Community Shield: 2014, 2015
Individual
London Player of the Year: 2014
UEFA European Championship Team of the Tournament: 2016
Arsenal Player of the Season: 2013–14, 2017–18
Premier League Player of the Month: September 2013
Welsh Young Player of the Year: 2009, 2010
