Corinthians pay tribute to Romero as he bids farewell at Neo Química Arena

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Central do Timão

·11 January 2026

Corinthians pay tribute to Romero as he bids farewell at Neo Química Arena

By Mirella Ramos / Central do Timão Editorial Team

Corinthians used their social media to document the farewell tribute to Romero at the Neo Química Arena this Sunday, before the match against Ponte Preta, marking the debut in the 2026 Paulista Championship. The Paraguayan forward was celebrated just minutes before the start of the game, in a ceremony held on the stadium's field.

Announced by the arena's announcer, Romero entered the field after being called by the club, wearing a white suit and accompanied by his wife and children. The moment also featured symbolic fans, including Wanda Vitorino, known for following the player with the Paraguayan flag during his time at Timão. Players not listed for the match, such as Yuri Alberto, Raniele, and Rodrigo Garro, were also on the sidelines during the tribute.

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During the ceremony, President Osmar Stabile presented Romero with a commemorative plaque and a Corinthians jersey. The former number eleven raised the uniform towards the stands, receiving applause from the fans present. Following this, the forward used the microphone to thank the Fiel and spoke about his journey at the club.

“Fiel, I wanted to come here to say that I arrived here as a boy and I leave as a family man. We went through many situations here, and I wanted to thank you. Say thank you very much, you were very important not only to me but to my family as well. We went through difficult and good times, but I will never forget you, I will never forget Corinthians. I will always carry it with me, in my story. I wish you much success, Corinthians is very big, I wish all the best”, said Romero.

After the speech, the Neo Química Arena's sound system played the song “Cristiano Romero é o cara,” a parody created by the FutParódias channel in 2018, marking the end of the tribute on the field.

During the ceremony, Corinthians also displayed jerseys and the six trophies Romero won during his two stints at the club. The forward was the Paulista champion in 2017, 2018, and 2025, Brazilian champion in 2015 and 2017, and also won the Copa do Brasil in 2025.

On social media, the club posted images and videos of the moment, highlighting the player's numbers with the black-and-white jersey. Romero ends his journey at Corinthians with 377 matches, 67 goals, and six titles, becoming the foreigner with the most appearances and goals for Timão.

The tribute followed the same format as recent farewells for Renato Augusto in September, before the match against Flamengo, and for Gil in November, before the classic against São Paulo. On all occasions, the former players entered the field alongside family members, received plaques from the club president, and were cheered by the fans.

Besides the number of games, Romero also ranks second among the top scorers at Neo Química Arena, with forty-three goals in one hundred seventy-nine matches played at the stadium, second only to Yuri Alberto.

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