Colin Ramirez
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 1 February 1971 | ||
| Place of birth | Gibraltar | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Customs Football Club | |||
| College Football Club | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1987–1993 | Gibraltar United | ||
| 1993–1994 | Glentoran | ||
| 1994–1995 | Manchester United (Gibraltar) | ||
| 1995–1996 | Crusaders | ||
| 1996 | Distillery | ||
| 1997–1999 | Linense | 50 | (2) |
| 1999 | Los Barrios | 16 | (0) |
| 2000–???? | Manchester United (Gibraltar) | ||
| International career | |||
| 1987–2006 | Gibraltar | 9+ | (5+) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Colin Ramirez (born 1 February 1971) is a Gibraltarian firefighter and former footballer who played as a midfielder. He became the chief fire officer of Gibraltar in 2020.
Football career
[edit]Club career
[edit]Ramirez started his career at Gibraltar United at the age of 16. In 1989, after the opening of the Gibraltar–Spain border, Ramirez went on trial with CD Málaga, who nearly signed him, but issues regarding citizenship prevented him from joining.[1]
In 1993, he was spotted by former England international footballer Peter Barnes, who recommended him to Northern Irish club Glentoran,[1] where he signed in August 1993 after having been on trial with the club for a month.[2] In December 1993, he went on a ten-day trial with Notts County,[3] before later being released by Glentoran in March 1994 to return to Gibraltar[4] with Manchester United.[1] In 1995, he moved to Australia to join a team in Newcastle, but returned to Gibraltar after the team folded.[1] In December 1995, he returned to Northern Ireland to join Crusaders for six weeks.[5] In March 1996, he signed for Distillery.[6]
In 1997, Ramirez signed for Spanish club Linense. Shortly after signing, on 28 September 1997, he scored the winning goal of a match in the 67th minute against rivals Algeciras.[7] In 1999, he helped the club achieve promotion to the Segunda División B.[8]
International career
[edit]Ramirez was first selected for the Gibraltar national team at the age of 16, making his debut against the Norwegian under-21 national team. His first tournament for Gibraltar was the 1995 Island Games, where during a match against Ynys Môn, he suffered a fractured nose.[9] He continued to play for the national team for 19 years, being made the team captain in 1999, before retiring at the age of 35 in 2006.[10]
In 2021, the IFFHS included Ramirez in their men's all-time Gibraltar dream team.[11]
Firefighting career
[edit]Ramirez initially applied to become a fireman at the age of 18, but was rejected.[1] In January 2000, he joined the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service, where he became the "best overall recruit" in the 16-week development programme. On 24 January 2020, he was promoted to chief fire officer of Gibraltar.[12][13][14]
Personal life
[edit]Ramirez is married and has two kids.[1] His father Adolfo was also a footballer, and later became a manager, notably coaching the Gibraltar football team between 1995 and 1997.[15] His uncles, Frank, Pepe and Jaime, were also footballers.[1]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mascarenhas, Alice (28 January 2022). "Footballer who became a firefighter, Colin Ramirez part of the Rock's football legacy". Gibraltar Chronicle. Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ↑ "'LOOK OUT' BLUES". Belfast Telegraph. 11 August 1993. p. 24.
- ↑ "Glens winger hopes to face Larne". Belfast News-Letter. 31 December 1993. p. 36.
- ↑ "Released". Belfast Telegraph. 16 March 1994. p. 31.
- ↑ "Gibraltar-born Ramirez in squad to face Ballymena". Belfast News-Letter. 29 December 1995. p. 36.
- ↑ "WIN OR BUST BLUES". The Ulster Star. 15 March 1996. p. 64.
- ↑ Almagro, A. González-R. (13 November 2013). "Un Clásico que es todo un Clásico" [A Clásico that is a true Clásico.]. Europa Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 June 2026.
- ↑ Almagro, Rubén J.; González, Alessio (8 September 2024). "El fútbol en Gibraltar: cuando a los llanitos les compensaba jugar en España" [Football in Gibraltar: when it was worth it for Gibraltarians to play in Spain]. Europa Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- ↑ "Gibraltar v Andorra matchday programme, 19 November 2022" (PDF). Gibraltar Football Association. 19 November 2022. pp. 18–21. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
- ↑ "Chief Fire Officer". Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
- ↑ "IFFHS MEN'S ALL TIME GIBRALTAR DREAM TEAM - 81". iffhs.com. 22 October 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
- ↑ "Gibraltar has a new Chief Fire Officer - 42/2020". Government of Gibraltar. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
- ↑ "Colin Ramirez is new boss at Gibraltar Fire & Rescue Service". Gibraltar Broadcasting Corporation. 24 January 2020. Retrieved 27 June 2026.
- ↑ López, Quino (24 January 2020). "El otro ascenso de Colin Ramírez". Europa Sur (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- ↑ "The Final Whistle - Legends Match - Player Profiles". Gibraltar Football Association. 20 June 2025.
External links
[edit]- Colin Ramirez at National-Football-Teams.com
- Colin Ramirez at BDFutbol
- 1971 births
- Living people
- Gibraltarian men's footballers
- Men's association football midfielders
- Gibraltar United F.C. players
- Glentoran F.C. players
- Manchester 62 F.C. players
- Crusaders F.C. players
- Lisburn Distillery F.C. players
- Real Balompédica Linense footballers
- UD Los Barrios footballers
- Gibraltar men's international footballers
- Gibraltarian expatriate men's footballers
- Gibraltarian expatriate sportspeople in Northern Ireland
- Gibraltarian expatriate sportspeople in Australia
- Gibraltarian expatriate sportspeople in Spain
- Expatriate men's association footballers in Northern Ireland
- Expatriate men's soccer players in Australia
- Expatriate men's footballers in Spain
- 21st-century firefighters
- Fire chiefs
- 20th-century Gibraltarian people
- 21st-century Gibraltarian people