Reds' Roots: Ramón Sosa

The journey to the Premier League for any player is never straightforward, requiring hard work and commitment as well as talent. For Ramón Sosa, the love of the competition has meant that from an early age, he has been in a relentless pursuit to realise his dream.

“I always dreamed of playing in the Premier League but because of how my career developed, I wondered if it would be impossible. I was in love with the Premier League. I would finish training and put on the Premier League games. It would be three or four hours’ time difference to England. Sometimes we would have Sundays off, so the games played here at 12:00 or 12:30, we'd watch them at 08:30 or 09:00 in the morning. On those days, I'd wake up especially to watch the games.”

Sosa, who had to wait until the age of 20 before making his professional debut in Paraguay, only started to believe while at Talleres in Argentina that the dream could maybe come true.

“At Talleres, I told my teammates that I wanted to play in the Premier League. When I arrived there and started to play well, I had it in my head that I maybe had the chance. My teammates would tell me that I had the ability to do it. I focused on that and all I thought about was getting there. I didn't care about any other league.”

Sosa was born in Maracana, in rural Paraguay, a city of just 20,000 inhabitants. Having made his way to Nottingham, part of the adjustment comes from needing to learn the language, a challenge that isn’t new to Ramón.

“As a kid I had lots of friends and together we'd only speak Guaraní. So, I spoke this (native) language. I didn't speak Spanish at all, it was pretty much like my level of English now! When I was 16, I moved to the capital city, Asunción, to play football and from there I went to Argentina, and I still didn't speak Spanish at that time.”

Having grown up in such a small neighbourhood, Ramón was conscious from early that he would have to move and take risks to get himself noticed.

“I always have believed I am mentally strong. I wanted to be a success, so I always gave it my all. I trained well, I was a good professional, and that's the reason I'm here. Once I left my home city, I told my family that I wouldn’t be coming back until I was a Primera División player.”

“I loved football from an early age; I'd constantly be playing with my friends. A scout took me to the capital city, Asunción, to play for a team called Tembetary in the Paraguayan third division.”

“I then had a chance to move to Argentina to play for Lanús in 2018. I was there for a year but because they had too many registered foreign players, I didn’t play.”

“I ended up going back to Tembetary and the coach of River Plate Asunción would watch our games. This coach wanted to sign me. Once the season was over, he said, ‘I want Ramón Sosa’, and he took me to River.”

By signing for River Plate Asunción, Ramón had delivered on his promise to his family of making it as a professional. But like so many others trying to build their career, the coronavirus pandemic had a big impact on his life and progression in football.

“To be honest it was a terrible time. I was living in a residence where the youth players at the club would stay. When the pandemic hit, most people left, and I ended up staying there with a teammate. We spent two months there, on lockdown because we weren't allowed to leave. Nobody could come in and nobody could go out. It was just us two, we'd train by ourselves inside the residence. It was bizarre, a big training compound with just two of us there.”

Despite the setbacks, Sosa’s career was beginning to gain momentum, and having lifted the Copa Paraguay in December 2021, the following month saw him complete a move to his boyhood club, Olimpia.

“It was wonderful because I'm an Olimpia fan and I had always thought it would be unbelievable to play for the club. Thankfully that dream came true. I had a really special year there.”

“I was happy there, but I had to continue developing, trying to push myself as much as possible. The following year I signed for Gimnasia LP. This time I was moving to Argentina extremely confident I was going to play.

“At that time, I was still thinking about the Premier League. It made the transition to a new country and speaking a new language easier because ultimately, I knew that if I ever made it to England, I was going to have to do the same there. So, to be honest, I adapted to life in Argentina quickly.”

Shortly after his arrival, Sosa scored his first goal for the Argentinian club in April 2022, a penalty against Platense. It turned out to be a successful season for Gimnasia, with Sosa’s contribution helping the Club back to continental football in qualification for the 2023 Copa Sudamericana. The form captured the attention of the national team, and Sosa earned his first international appearance against Columbia.

“My career hasn’t followed a ‘normal’ path, I didn’t play for any professional youth teams as a kid, let alone any of the national youth teams. Receiving my first call up to the national team in 2022 was unbelievable. But to be honest, I was ready. I was working hard, playing well, and I believed in myself.”

After a successful year at Gimnasia, Sosa was on the move again in January of 2023. Staying in Argentina, the winger signed for Talleres.

“I was playing well at Gimnasia but Talleres are a big club who have always competed in the Copa Libertadores like big clubs here who play in the Champions League. I thought, If I stay at Gimnasia, it’s unlikely that a Premier League club will come in for me.”

After a good season, Sosa stayed in contention with the national team, and in July 2024 was included in the squad for his first major tournament, the Copa America. He smiles hearing the date of 3rd July.

“I think it was the day I scored against Costa Rica. We lost that game 2-1 but it was an amazing experience because it was my first Copa América. It didn't go brilliantly for us, we got knocked out at the group stage but to be honest, I played against Costa Rica, I had a good game, I scored, and it was a wonderful experience. We went to the United States and the whole experience was fantastic.”

The next date put to Ramón leads to an even bigger smile. On 16th August 2024, the lifelong ambition to become a Premier League player became a reality.

“It was amazing when I heard the news that Nottingham Forest wanted me. I had to wait around two months before I could come here because my club didn't want to let me go. Then when I came here, along with my girlfriend and my agent, it was amazing.

“We stayed that night in the hotel and my girlfriend and I spent most of the night in tears because my dream had come true, and it was a dream that I thought was impossible to achieve.”

Speaking of his partner, the gratitude for his long-term girlfriend is clear.

“It really is an important relationship. We've shared some wonderful moments together. Some bad ones too. She's always been by my side. We started going out together at 16. We were very young when we met, and she has always been with me throughout my footballing career. My family are in Paraguay. I have a little brother and so they have not been able to come so she's a really special person for me and I love her dearly.”

While finding his feet in a new continent, Sosa has been welcomed into his new environment, with Nicolás Domínguez one of those helping him to settle.

“Nico is someone who's helped me in absolutely everything. When I arrived here, English was tough for me, and it still is now but now I'm studying two or three times a week. Nico helped me on the field or when I didn't understand something, I'd ask him to explain what we needed to do.”

“You just can't compare watching on TV to playing here. When I'd watch the games, I'd think, "One day I want to be there." And now that I'm here, sometimes I have to pinch myself. I have travelled with the team to Manchester City's ground, I've been to Arsenal, Manchester United. It was crazy to be there and live in that moment. The City Ground is so special, too. The atmosphere the fans generate is incredible, I love it and love playing in front of them.”

It didn’t take long for Sosa to make an impact on the pitch, and scoring his first Premier League goal against Brighton will live long in the memory.

“That goal against Brighton was special for me. I’m repeating myself but it was a dream come true. I wouldn't say I've really struggled to adapt but maybe a little because the Premier League is different. The football's different but I'm feeling better all the time, and I believe I'm now ready to perform.

“I'm in a good place in a footballing sense and my team-mates are doing well. I look at them and think, ‘They're playing really well, I need to follow their lead’ and that helps me. My next step is to play as much as I can. I want to help my team and prove who I am.”