The stage is set for the final, and standing there, cheering, is Argentine defender Christian Romero; the two seem synonymous with each other. Starting with the Copa America final, which ended Argentina's 28-year drought, the same scene was seen in the World Cup final. Now, the same scene has unfolded in the Europa League final.
The name that caused the most stir behind Tottenham's victory was not the goal scorer's - it was Romero's. He was one of the heroes who broke Argentina's drought, so Tottenham has become the hero this time.
Romero didn't just stop the opposition last night, he was controlling the tempo of the game. His presence on the field exuded an aggressive confidence. He did that again yesterday. Romero has never lost a final. Why, he answered that question once again last night. Tottenham played a large part of the match in the low block last night, and that low block was led by the Argentine defender, who cleared the ball more than any other Tottenham player.
Proactive defending is his style of play. He defends outside the box even though he takes risks, takes risks in passing, and extends long balls. He left an impression of that last night as well. He completed 92 percent of his passes correctly, cleared 10 balls, and even blocked one shot by extending his body.
But Romero's strength is not just here, his steely attitude strengthens the team, as well as mentally puts the opponent behind him. Last night, the opposing defender Harry Maguire was playing as an extra striker for a while. He was really riding on his brain. Sometimes Romero would distract him by saying something in his ear, sometimes he would lose his balance by pushing. He didn't do anything in a way that would be considered a foul. The opposite happened. Maguire lost patience at one point, it was Romero who was pulling the strings to get him there!
Romero was not in a particularly happy mood when Tottenham were 1-0 up at the end of the match. Maguire had some heated words for him at the end of the match, but Romero didn't respond to them either. He didn't need to say anything. The scoreboard spoke for him!
Romero's performance is nothing new! Think back to the 2021 Copa America final, when he wasn't supposed to play. But he did. He had a knee injury, so he told Emiliano Martinez, 'Brother, I won't leave you alone.'
To keep his word, he got an injection in his knee, and was named in the starting eleven for the final, putting his career at risk. Seeing his actions, Amy Martinez herself said, "If you call me crazy, what do you call the bitch (Romero's nickname)?"
He didn't do much in that final, except for a tackle on Neymar and a foul on Renan Lodi. But his mental toughness sent a message to the whole of Argentina, that title, even if it was at the last moment of his life. He also gave it to Tottenham yesterday, along with his brilliant performance. And that earned him the man of the match award. Argentina's ability to end the drought has become a hero for Tottenham as well.
