When Cristian Romero was about to receive a pass only about 10m from the goal, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon immediately realized the opportunity. The Argentine center-back fell into an unfavorable position after falling back to receive the ball, turning his face towards the left wing while the two English players pressed fiercely. He only had less than a second to control the ball, turn around and find a pass in the space that was quickly locked.
In that situation, mistakes seemed inevitable. But Romero handled it perfectly. The first touch helped him control the ball neatly, the second touch sent the ball from his right foot to his left foot, and in the third touch, he calmly passed to Nahuel Molina who was waiting.
Less than a minute later, Romero received a yellow card for a tactical foul on Bellingham. That was just a small price to pay, because the mistake that could have led to the previous goal was prevented.
Those are the two sides of Romero's personality. He is not Cristian Romero who often makes mistakes and wears the captain's armband of Tottenham in a disappointing season. This is Cristian Romero of the Argentine national team - a center-back who plays fiercely, sometimes impulsively but for most of the time is a reliable stopper of the defense.
At Tottenham, Romero has to lead a defense system with many instabilities, in the context that the team is struggling with the relegation battle. He is still considered one of the top center-backs in the Premier League thanks to his strong playing style, not afraid of collisions, although he is also famous for frequently receiving yellow cards.
As Tottenham continuously collapsed after each goal conceded, Romero's determination gradually became a burden rather than a fulcrum. In April, a serious injury forced him to retire for the rest of the season and burst into tears right on the field. That was not only the end of a forgettable season but also raised a big question mark about his ability to participate in the 2026 World Cup.
During his injury recovery, Romero caused controversy when he intended to miss Tottenham's last match to return to Argentina to watch his childhood team Belgrano play against River Plate. After a wave of criticism, he returned to London, witnessing Tottenham complete their relegation goal before returning home to continue recovering. That decision helped him regain his fitness in time to participate in the World Cup.
Like many other Argentine players, the white-blue striped shirt seems to bring a completely different version of Romero. Playing alongside Lisandro Martinez, he becomes a reliable stopper in front of Emiliano Martinez's goal, and is always ready to sacrifice for the team. Besides Lionel Messi and Emiliano Martinez, Romero can be considered one of Argentina's most stable players on the journey to the third World Cup final in the last four tournaments.
Unlike his role at Tottenham, Romero is given more responsibility by coach Lionel Scaloni in deploying the ball from the lower lines. A stable tactical system helps him limit uncontrolled surges and unnecessary fouls that often appear at club level.
Besides, Romero also became one of the reliable aerial targets in Messi's passes. The comeback against Egypt originated from this ability. In the 79th minute, Romero suddenly pushed up like a striker, sneaking into the space between Ramy Rabia and Yasser Ibrahim to receive Messi's high pass, scoring the opening goal for Argentina's comeback.
No matter what task he is assigned, Romero always plays with the most determined spirit. In the final match against Spain, he will have to closely follow Mikel Oyarzabal, while avoiding falling into the foul traps that technical players on La Roja's side can create.
Argentina will also need to put pressure and challenge Spain's bravery - something very few teams have done since Cabo Verde's surprise draw in the group stage. That may be an overwhelming task for Cristian Romero in Tottenham's colors, but not for Cristian Romero of Argentina - a version who always knows how to rise on the biggest stages.
Whether Romero will be welcomed by Tottenham fans when he returns is still a question mark. However, that is probably not what he is concerned about. After the semi-final match with England, this center-back was also caught shouting loudly at Jude Bellingham in the face after the final whistle.
At the World Cup, Romero seems to live fully with a different version of himself - someone who is willing to do everything to protect the national colors and captain Messi. The story at Tottenham can completely wait until after the final match.
