Cristian Romero spoke in an interview about winning the World Cup, the penalty kicks in the final, his injury and Lisandro Martínez.
Romero is a pillar in the Argentina national team. Still only 24 years old, he has already won the World Cup, the Copa America and the Finalissima.
Back with his club at Tottenham, the Argentine gave an interview with TyC Sports about winning the World Cup. Here is what he had to say:
“Being world champion is the most important thing to happen to me as a player, but recently, I have relaxed a little. I leave it a bit aside otherwise my Tottenham team mates get a bit angry.
“It didn’t change my life, but yes, it marked me, it changed a lot of things for me in terms of football. Surely for the next few years I’ll be more calm, without this pressure in the national team for having achieved everything.”
He was asked about the penalty kicks in the World Cup final:
“I think the only penalty I saw was Leo’s (Messi). After that, I was kneeling on the floor, Paulo (Dybala) was lifting me up all the time and I didn’t watch. I was praying, asking God to give it to us and I couldn’t see the whole shootout. It was the first time because I always watch them, I don’t have a problem. But at that moment, I couldn’t. I looked at the floor and everytime people shouted, I realised that something nice had happened.
“When Dibu was going to save, I wasn’t looking either. I was looking at the ground and when I felt all the people, because we were practically all Argentinians, I realised that he had saved it. I stood up and he was celebrating and dancing.”
His friendship with Lisandro Martínez:
“With Licha (Lisandro Martínez), we always shared the same room and Moli (Nahuel Molina) was always with us. I call Licha the Saint because he is a great believe and after the first match, I was feeling bad and he told me “you have to change your energy”. He brought a million palo santo and it started to light up everywhere. Smoke everywhere.”
Regarding his fitness before the start of the World Cup:
“I was very worried because the diagnoses I had been given here at the club (Tottenham) were not positive. I was confident and the first thing I did, as I always do when I get injured, was to speak to Dani, the national team doctor.
“I sent him the ultrasound and told him that I was told I had several weeks. He told me not to worry, that it wasn’t an injury that requires a lot. Here, they exaggerate a bit, they told me: “It’s impossible for you to be here for the group stage”, and I already knew that it wasn’t going to be like that.”
About three weeks before the start of the World Cup, Argentina national team doctors flew to England:
“They helped me with the recovery, they accelerated it, that’s why I believe I made it. If not, it would have been almost impossible. Everyday at home with the national team physio. I was worried about not getting there 100%, I respect the group a lot and I know what the World Cup meant for everyone.
“After 10, 12 days, I felt good. I had started to train physically on my own, I worked hard with the Argentina national team physio. I could have made it to the friendly (against the United Arab Emirates), but it was a decision by the coaching staff not to take any risks. I made it to the first match of the World Cup fine but not with the right rhythm.”
Cuti also spoke about the picture of himself celebrating in front of Kylian Mbappe after Lionel Messi scored in extra time of the World Cup final:
“The photo is beautiful. I’ll tell it because we’re always the bad guys in the movie but Mbappé was saying things to Enzo. He said a few stupid things to him. Messi scored the 3-2 and it just came from inside of me to shout goal in his face.”
