Romero reflects on World Cup glory: “At that moment, I was very emotional…”
Mon 09 January 2023, 09:00|
Tottenham Hotspur
Cristian Romero has opened up on the emotions he experienced as he lifted the World Cup with Argentina in Qatar last month, and how he felt during the celebrations that followed.
The 24-year-old featured in all seven of his country’s matches at the showpiece tournament, starting all but one of them, as he helped Lionel Scaloni’s men pick up the biggest prize in world football, with a dramatic penalty shootout eventually seeing them over the line after a thrilling final against defending champions France on 18 December.
Proudly displaying his winner’s medal upon his recent return to Hotspur Way following a celebratory parade back in Buenos Aires, the defender told us how thrilled he was to build on La Albiceleste’s 2021 Copa America success by claiming another historic title – and had words of thanks for one of his predecessors for Club and country, a certain Ossie Ardiles, who famously helped Argentina win the World Cup in 1978 before joining Spurs along with compatriot Ricky Villa. Ossie is actually from the same city as Cristian, Córdoba, and was on hand at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to present the centre-back with a gift on behalf of the Club to mark his achievement on 1 January, prior to our match against Aston Villa.
Speaking to us in Spanish via an interpreter in amongst a busy spell of games back at club level – since his return, he’s started our last two Premier League matches and was on the bench for Saturday’s FA Cup success over Portsmouth – ‘Cuti’ talked us through his triumphant international exploits...
Congratulations on winning the World Cup, Cuti! How does it feel?
Cristian: “Well, thank you very much! I’m very happy for achieving in one year everything with my country. For me, it’s the best, especially a World Cup. I think it is the most important trophy that I could have won as a player and I am very happy to have won it with my country. For us, it was very important, we did it and so we’re happy for everyone in Argentina and for the squad. I was fortunate to have my family with me and that is very important. My son, who recently turned one year old, was there, and for me to see him there, excited for me, celebrating next to me, it gave me a lot of strength. Both he and my wife are always there for me, so it’s double the excitement and joy.”
You were famously beaten by Saudi Arabia in your first match – one of the shock results of the tournament. What was said among the squad after that?
Cristian: “It was a weird match. I think it helped us a lot to lose the first game, to give us even more strength. The group was always strong, but we were coming from almost two or three years of not losing a single match and I think that losing the first game gave us the strength to face the rest of the games as a final. And I think that was the key to what made the group strong.”
At what point in the tournament did you start to believe that you could win it?
Cristian: “Beforehand I think we had that confidence to say that we could get the trophy and that we had a fairly strong group to fight against any other squad. We knew we were not the favourites, besides having Messi – he is always a plus and is by far the best player in the world, there is no player like him. That gave us a plus, but beyond that, I think we were a humble group who knew that there were better teams than us, but as a group there was no one better than us. And that is what made us strong on a daily basis. As I said before, in the first game, it generated more confidence among us to face each game to the fullest.”
When you reached the final, you played against Hugo Lloris. Did you speak to him before or after the game?
Cristian: “Well, yes. We sent some text messages before. When they were going to play against England, I spoke to Hugo and wished him luck. He is always a great person and since the first day I arrived here in Tottenham, he has always helped me. We also know that each one gives his best for his national team. After the game, yes, obviously we talked a bit, then I left with my team and he went with his.”
What went through your mind during the final when France recovered from 2-0 down in the closing stages to force extra time, and then equalised again to take the game to penalties?
Cristian: “When they scored for 2-2, I thought that for a moment there was a problem, but that’s when the leaders of our group came to speak – Leo (Messi), Scaloni and Angel Di María – and there was a lot of trust between us. For us, who are the youngest, they make you regain that confidence and to see them run as they do at 35 and 34 years old, it gave us a lot of energy and I think when we played extra time, we played it very well. We opened the scoring again, we got tied again, but I think we were fair winners because in the final, the first 80 minutes, we dominated most of the game. Then because of the opportunities that the opponents created, because they have very good players, we got tied in the match, but we had dominated most of the game.”
What did it feel like to hold the World Cup in your hands and how did it feel to return home to Argentina as a hero?
Cristian: “At that moment, I was very emotional, because when you see this type of thing, you always remember what you had to go through or where you came from. Being able to live these moments for me is the best, it’s a very nice moment. Back in Buenos Aires, it was crazy, but in a good way because I think it was one of the biggest fan celebrations, so to speak. The other day I saw a statistic that even when France won the World Cup, or Germany, there were not so many people (out celebrating) as in Argentina. For us, it was the best and those five or six hours that we were on the bus, we enjoyed. We were able to enjoy it and we were able to get the trophy home, which was the most important thing. That was the challenge we had as a group and as a team.”
Circling back to Spurs now, how much are you aware of Argentina’s 1978 World Cup success and the subsequent influence of Ossie Ardiles and Ricky Villa here at the Club?
Cristian: “Well, Ardiles, I’ve met him at the stadium. I know he is the Club’s Ambassador. I only know Ricky by his name, I haven't had the chance to meet him, but Osvaldo... a legend for Argentinian football and for Tottenham as well. He is a great person – he’s constantly messaging me and giving me his support. Having that kind of person who gives you a helping hand is a very important thing.”
