As Spain captain, Sergio Ramos will have felt the heartbreak of the nation's World Cup exit more keenly than most, and he's vowed to return in four years' time to help heal the wounds.

La Roja crashed out in this tournament's first penalty shootout on Sunday to host nation Russia after being held to a 1-1 draw. The result means the nation has not progressed beyond the last-16 of a World Cup since winning the competition for the first time in 2010.

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Ramos scored his penalty coolly during the game's climax, but could only look on as Koke and Iago Aspas missed theirs. While longtime talisman Andres Iniesta announced his retirement from international duty after the game, Ramos intends to return for 2022.

"I would like to carry on playing for many more years because I'm going home with a terrible pain," Ramos said, as reported by The Independent's Ed Malyon. "I'm going to have to go to Qatar with a grey beard if necessary."

Spain must now regroup and ride out a storm in the aftermath of a second consecutive early exit. Coach Julen Lopetegui's dismissal, after it was revealed he has a job at Real Madrid waiting, threw the nation into chaos days before the tournament opener, and interim replacement Fernando Hierro's future is uncertain to say the least. With a senior squad including 32-year-old David Silva and 31-year-old Gerard Pique, there are also likely to be numerous changes to the squad before the next tournament.

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That is what lies ahead, but for Ramos, the next few weeks will be simply the beginning of the long healing process after such a disappointing tournament.

"F---, it’s difficult," he told reporters. "It's so many hours, so much effort, and so much dedication. Maybe this wasn't our best moment, but we go home without having lost a game."