Last December, Argentina won the World Cup and Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero was part of their squad, making seven appearances for his country.
The defender suffered a hamstring injury a month before the World Cup and it had raised concerns over his participation in Qatar.
Last November, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni admitted he was worried about the Tottenham player’s involvement in the World Cup.
After coming off the bench against Saudi Arabia, the defender started six games at the World Cup. The 24-year-old has now revealed the diagnosis carried out by the north London club’s medical team had left him worried over his involvement with Argentina.
“I was very worried because the diagnosis that they had given me here at the club were not positive. I trusted and the first thing I did, as I always do when I get injured, was talk to Dani, the doctor from the national team. I sent him the ultrasound and told him that they told me it would take several weeks,” he told TyC Sports.
La Albiceleste sent their medical team to England to help the Spurs defender recover on time for the World Cup.
“They helped me with my recovery, they accelerated it, that’s why I think I arrived. Otherwise, it was almost impossible,” Romero explained.
“We put all the days at home with the national team’s physio. I was worried about not reaching 100%, I respect the group a lot and I know what the World Cup meant to everyone.”
“After 10, 12 days I already felt good, I had started to train physically alone, with the national team’s physio I worked hard. In the friendly [against the UAE] could arrive, but it was a decision by the coaching staff not to risk it. I arrived well but not with rhythm to the first game of the World Cup.”
Romero’s latest comments may not please Tottenham’s medical department and physios.
Having won the World Cup, the Spurs player has stressed he’ll be under less pressure when representing Argentina in the coming years.
