As Cristian Romero readied to receive a pass 10 yards from his goalline, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon sensed a mistake in the making. The center-back’s posture was not ideal after he took a scoot backwards to collect, facing the left sideline as his opponents lustily converged. He would only have half a second to settle a bouncing ball, shift his momentum, and find a passing lane in the rapidly closing seam between the England duo.
Easier said than done on most days, but this particular Wednesday was not most days. First touch: ball settled. Second touch: right foot shunting the ball to his left. Third touch: left foot, ball coolly slotted to an awaiting Nahuel Molina.
Less than a minute later, Romero received a yellow card for a tactical bear hug on Bellingham. Small potatoes; the real, imminent disaster had already been averted.
Such is the duality of the man they tried to dispossess. This wasn’t Cristian Romero, the gaffe-prone captain of a historically poor Tottenham. This was Cristian Romero, the mercurial but mostly dependable anchor of Argentina’s defense.
At Tottenham, he led a squad of infamously bad passers through a second consecutive relegation scrap. He is among one of the Premier League’s Most Wanted given his defensive candor, handed yellow cards like they were fliers for an angsty nightclub.
As the season plodded on, his tendency to leave a little extra in his challenges was more of a selection headache for whoever was managing Spurs that weekend than a motivator of his moribund teammates.
As Spurs repeatedly folded once an opponent opened the scoring, Romero grew disillusioned. In April, a season-ending injury left him in tears – not just the culmination of an unusually frustrating campaign, but a viable threat to his World Cup duties. So he sought joy from a familiar fount.
He drew ire for his initial plan to skip Tottenham’s final match, readying to visit boyhood Belgrano for a match against River Plate. Sensing the blowback, Romero returned to London and watched on as Tottenham retained their place in the Premier League before joining the post-match sighs of relief. The task complete, Romero returned to Argentina, the far more joyous alternative to his day job, and finished his recovery in time for the World Cup.
As is true for most of La Albiceleste, pulling on the white-and-blue turns Romero into one of 11 bleeding hearts who leave no yard uncovered and no stud unshown for the good of the cause. Partnered with Lisandro Martínez, he is the relative hardman, often the final obstacle between an attacker and Emiliano Martínez. Save for Lionel Messi and the Aston Villa goalkeeper, Romero has arguably been Argentina’s most consistent player en route to their third World Cup final in four tournaments.
Compared to his responsibilities at Tottenham last season, Romero is slightly more entrusted with linking Argentina’s defense to their midfield in possession. The more stable structure around him hinders his proclivity to leave his post and get baited into silly fouls, as Spurs’ opponents managed to repeatedly ensnare him in that same trap last season. He also enjoys being one of Messi’s most trusted targets to win attacking headers. Argentina’s great escape against Egypt began when Romero assumed his secondary role for club and country: a makeshift target man who scampers parallel to his striker when in possession and chasing a goal. Egypt were not equipped to account for this in the 79th minute, as he snuck into space between Ramy Rabia and Yasser Ibrahim to thunk home a looping cross from Messi and spark the ensuing comeback.
Whatever is necessary for the task at hand, Romero will commit to the bit. On Sunday, that will mean accounting for Mikel Oyarzabal’s nimble movement and not letting Spain’s stable of deft dribblers bait him into unnecessary fouls. Argentina will need to test Spain’s resolve, as few teams have truly tried to outmuscle the finalists since Cape Verde’s stunning draw in the group stages. That may sound like a job too great for Cristian Romero of Tottenham, but that’s not who you are watching in this World Cup. Cristian Romero of Argentina knows better – if only just.
Time will tell whether he gets a rosy welcome upon rejoining Spurs, though he is unlikely to be bothered by the potential of jeers. Supporters may be more inclined to laud Djed Spence for his industrious efforts against Argentina than Romero, caught yelling at a bemused Bellingham after the final whistle in Atlanta.
By then he was fully immersed in his alternate persona, a crucial member of a team that will fiercely defend Messi’s honor – with Bellingham having stoked additional fire within Messi shortly after kickoff – until the day he retires. His day job, captaining a fabled if flawed club in London, can wait for one more week.
