OFFICIAL: World Cup finalist star with Messi announces retirement

Sergio Romero, former teammate of Lionel Messi and a World Cup runner-up with the Argentina national team, has decided to end his playing career to embark on a new journey as a coach.

Before Emiliano Martinez emerged, the Argentina national team had Sergio Romero, who was also a teammate of Lionel Messi and was a key figure in the squad that reached the 2014 World Cup final, where Messi had his first chance to become a world champion. Now, Romero appears ready for a new direction in his career, not as a player but as a coach.

Romero decided to retire after his final playing stint with Argentinos Juniors. The star born in 1987 received several offers in the recent transfer window to continue playing at least until 2026. However, for family reasons, the former Manchester United goalkeeper chose to end his playing career and has a clear idea about his next step, starting the path to becoming a head coach.

According to Infobae, Romero waited to find a club in the recent transfer window. His only condition was to remain in Buenos Aires, but the offers he received did not truly satisfy him. He even considered taking a semester off after terminating his contract with Argentinos Juniors, but in recent weeks, Romero began seriously thinking about hanging up his gloves and starting a coaching career.

In mid-January, Romero shared in an interview with DSports Radio that he wanted to continue playing, whether as a starter for a team or even just as a backup goalkeeper. “If that doesn't happen, I am ready to cross over to the other side and start a career that will surely be very beautiful”, the player born in Misiones stated. Romero obtained his coaching license in 2023 while playing for Boca Juniors and has now also assembled his coaching staff.

Romero considered the possibility of receiving a call from Racing after Gabriel Arias departed, even knowing that Facundo Cambeses held the starting position. However, his relationship with the club from Avellaneda did not end well, and coach Gustavo Costas ultimately decided not to pursue him, instead recalling Matias Tagliamonte from Union de Santa Fe.

Although Emiliano Martinez is still pursuing his personal goal of surpassing him, Romero remains the goalkeeper with the most appearances in the history of the Argentina national team. He has 96 matches, while Martinez has only played 57.

After winning the 2007 U20 World Cup in Canada and the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Romero was called up to the national team by Diego Maradona and given the starting role at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. He also played a crucial role under Alejandro Sabella alongside Messi at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, before being excluded from the national team squad by Jorge Sampaoli just before the 2018 World Cup due to a knee injury.