Why Aaron Ramsey moved to Mexico and got Wales snub after taking manager's job
Aaron Ramsey has taken the unusual step of moving to Mexico to continue his playing career after a brief spell as interim manager of Cardiff City earlier this year
From interim Cardiff City boss to the Mexican top-flight is one of the most unusual career moves. But it's the route Aaron Ramsey has taken as he approaches the twilight of his playing career.
After his brief and unsuccessful stint trying to keep the Bluebirds in the Championship, the Wales legend has returned his attention to playing following his move to Mexico City outfit Club Universidad Nacional, better known as Pumas UNAM, on a 12-month contract. The 34-year-old shares the same representative as Pumas boss Efrain Juarez, who played a crucial role in securing the move.
It marks another intriguing chapter in Ramsey's career journey, having turned out for Arsenal, Juventus and Nice, while also memorably helping his country to the Euro 2016 semi-finals. Here's the lowdown on his switch to Central America and why he has been made to wait for a Wales recall...
Why did Aaron Ramsey go to Mexico?
Juarez, who enjoyed a short stint at Celtic during the early 2010s, was instrumental in Ramsey's unconventional career switch. Per Mediotiempo, Ramsey revealed: "I spoke a lot with the coach before coming.
"I was excited about what he's accomplished in his career so far, the success he's had, the vision he has for Pumas. Obviously, coming to play for a club like this, the biggest club in Mexico, was an easy decision for me. I wanted to experience this."
Ramsey confessed he had to research the club beforehand, explaining: "To be honest, I didn't know much, but I spoke to a few people beforehand, and I was impressed by the quality and competitiveness of the league.
"I think the matches I've played in have demonstrated the quality that exists in Mexico. It's a great challenge that we're looking forward to."
How is Aaron Ramsey doing in Mexico?
Ramsey has wasted no time in winning over his new club and supporters. Following his debut appearance off the bench against Puebla, he netted the decisive strike in the 92nd minute versus Atlas after converting from a corner.
The midfielder, who entered the fray as a 73rd-minute substitute, celebrated by hurling his shirt skyward as team-mates swarmed around him. Sharing images from the match on social media, he posted: "Vamos! Can't beat that feeling."
It's not merely the football that Ramsey must adjust to in Mexico, but also the conditions. Pumas' home venue, the 69,000-capacity Estadio Olimpico Universitario, sits nearly 2,300 metres above sea level.
And it's not even the loftiest stadium in the country. Toluca stage their home fixtures almost 2,700m above sea level, meaning the atmosphere will be considerably thinner than what he's accustomed to. Cardiff City Stadium, by comparison, stands merely 65m above sea level.
Will Aaron Ramsey get a Wales call-up?
Despite his comeback to competitive action following a five-month injury absence after hamstring surgery, Ramsey was omitted from Craig Bellamy's squad for the recent World Cup qualifier in Kazakhstan and the friendly against Canada.
Bellamy maintained that it would have been reckless to recall Ramsey, who hasn't represented Wales in 12 months. The former Liverpool striker has not closed the door on his former international team-mate but said: "He hasn't played enough football over a period.
"It wouldn't be fair to call him, travel the distance, the time difference, and then travel to Kazakhstan – and expect him to play any part of it after being out for so long.
"The injury, particularly with a hamstring injury, it wouldn't be responsible from us to do that or expect anything from him. I speak to him a lot. The idea with him is to get minutes, get training and back to just playing football.
"If he's available and he's had a lot of minutes, and that comes from training as well, a consistent basis of being involved in football, then we'll look again."
In his absence, Wales won 1-0 in Kazakhstan before losing by the same margin to Canada in Swansea. Bellamy's side return to World Cup qualifying action against Belgium and Liechtenstein next month.
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