Cristiano Romero will look to keep out England, where he plays his football for Tottenham, when he stars for Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals
Argentina's ferocious centre-back Cristian Romero will be tasked with keeping Jude Bellingham and co. quiet in Wednesday's blockbuster World Cup semi-final.
The 28-year-old has formed an excellent partnership with Lisandro Martinez at the heart of the Argentine backline, with the Tottenham Hotspur man starting in all of their World Cup matches.
A turbulent club season, hindered by injury and suspension throughout, saw Romero come under intense scrutiny as Tottenham became embroiled in a relegation battle after a woeful campaign.
However, he has shone in the blue and white stripes of La Albiceleste this summer and has his eyes firmly set on guiding them to back-to-back world crowns. Here we look at the Argentine in more depth.
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Romero's wife and family
Romero's uncompromising persona on the pitch contrasts with his demeanour off it.
The Spurs defender began dating Karen Cavaller, who also comes from Cordoba, in 2018, with the pair tying the knot two years later. They met prior to his switch to Serie A side Genoa and had their first child, Valentino, in 2021 before Cavaller gave birth to their daughter, Lucy, three years later.
Cavaller holds a degree in business administration and works in human resources, forging a career that goes beyond the conventional WAG stereotype. She has a low profile on social media with a private account of just over 3,000 followers.
Romero's mother, Rosa, told Super Deportivo Radio that he used his first week's wages to buy her a house, and she highlighted how his hard-man character gives way to a far more heartfelt persona away from football.
Their incredible family connection was emphasised when Romero helped clinch Argentina's third World Cup title four years ago. In an Instagram post celebrating his monumental moment on the biggest stage, Romero shared photos of his wife and son with the emotional caption: "How I love you two, my loves. They are my everything."
Argentina outcry
Tottenham's struggles last term saw the Europa League holders needing a draw against Everton on the final day of the season to secure safety. A win in their trip to Chelsea in the week leading up to the game would have been enough to retain their Premier League status, but Spurs lost 2-1 in a hard-fought game.
After that London derby, Romero controversially opted to fly to his native Argentina to watch his boyhood club Belgrano face River Plate in a title decider. Spurs fans were left incensed by their captain's sudden absence on the same day that their fate would be decided.
The official reason given was that Romero was using Belgrano's facilities to complete his rehabilitation, as he stepped up his recovery in time to feature in the World Cup. Roberto De Zerbi defended his skipper's contentious departure, explaining that, after consulting the club's medical staff, they had collectively agreed to allow Romero to travel to Argentina.
However, De Zerbi's backing did little to soothe the fury of the Spurs faithful, who felt abandoned by their captain amid a relegation crisis. Former Tottenham boss Glenn Hoddle echoed the fans' outrage, labelling Romero's decision to leave the country "scandalous."
With Spurs facing a high-stakes final fixture and the very real threat of being relegated to the Football League for the first time since 1978, Romero made a dramatic U-turn. He flew back to England to support his teammates in person as Tottenham ultimately escaped the drop by the skin of their teeth.
Huge Tottenham salary
Romero has experienced plenty of highs and lows since making the switch from Atalanta ahead of the 2021/22 campaign after shining in Bergamo.
Signing for Spurs on an initial season-long loan with an option to buy, his defensive qualities became overshadowed by his ill-discipline, with red cards in critical games.
The past two seasons at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium have been disastrous, with the club on the brink of unthinkable relegation last term, with Romero firmly part of that. However, following their European title last year, he put pen to paper on a new contract with a bumper weekly wage of £195,000, securing his services until 2029.