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Tottenham captain Cristian Romero has been criticized after opting to fly back to Argentina instead of supporting his team-mates in their final day Premier League relegation decider against Everton.
The injured defender will travel home to watch his boyhood club Belgrano in a historic Championship decider against River Plate on Sunday instead of sitting in the stands at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Romero prioritizes Boyhood Club over Spurs Survival
The centre-back has been sidelined since suffering a knee injury during a 1-0 defeat to Sunderland last month, a game which marked Roberto De Zerbi’s debut in the Spurs dugout.
While the defender is physically unable to take to the pitch, his role as a manager has been called into question due to his impending absence from north London during a relegation clash.
Despite his injury, Romero had previously been a visible presence on the sidelines and even took part in the celebrations when Mathys Tel scored an important goal against Leeds United earlier this month.
However, the 28-year-old has now opted to return to his homeland to watch Belgrano take on River Plate in a historic Argentinian league championship final.
The timing is particularly sensitive as Tottenham face the very real threat of being relegated to English football’s second tier on the same afternoon.
‘Good club captain, then!’
The defender’s selection was confirmed by South American football pundit Tim Vickery during an appearance on talkSPORT, prompting an immediate and furious reaction from host and Spurs fan Paul Hawksbee.
The broadcaster was clinical in its assessment of the Tottenham captain, suggesting the player’s priorities were far removed from the scraps of Premier League survival.
Explaining his stance, Hawksbee said: “Such a good club captain. Not for Tottenham’s biggest game since 1976 – great. Right up until the end, good old Cristian. I’ll be wearing my River Plate shirt at the weekend. I think it’s awful.
“He goes and looks at the club he supports, as opposed to the club captain of a relegation-threatened team, where he’s not there with the lads and all the other injured players. But you know, I mean, like I said, it’s true at the end; I always thought Cristian Romero just passed through and Tottenham were quite bitter from Argentina.”
The historical significance of Belgrano vs River Plate
Vickery tried to provide context as to why the fight in Argentina has such personal weight for Romero.
The World Cup winner began his career at Belgrano, joining the youth ranks in 2014 before making his senior debut two years later.
For Romero, this is not just a secondary interest, but a connection to his roots at a time that could define the history of his former club.
Noting the gravity of the match in South America, Vickery stated: “I knew this would kill you. Belgrano is Romero’s club. It’s the club where he started and he’s a fan. Belgrano have never won the Argentine championship and they’re going to River Plate, who have won more than anyone else, so this is historic.
“15 years ago these two met in the play-offs that relegated River Plate, and if Tottenham’s decline is off the scale, River Plate’s decline is even more off the scale.”
Spurs are fighting for survival
De Zerbi hopes to guide Spurs to Premier League survival.
Since his appointment, the Italian coach has overseen six games and recorded two wins, two draws and two defeats as he tries to steer north London away from relegation danger.
Tottenham’s fate still hangs in the balance heading into the final round of the season.
A defeat away to Everton combined with a West Ham United win over Leeds United would see Spurs relegated to the Championship.
However, a win over Everton would guarantee Tottenham’s Premier League status. Even a draw will be enough for Spurs to survive, given their vastly superior goal difference compared to West Ham (-10 vs -22).
2026 FIFA World Cup: How to watch
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. Spread over three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament games will be broadcast live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every game streaming live and on-demand on both FOX One and the FOX Sports app. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, are televised in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).
The June 11 opener between Mexico and South Africa (3 p.m. ET) will stream for free on Tubi, as will the USA’s June 12 opener against Paraguay (9 p.m. ET).
