Tottenham star Cristian Romero is the hero after spearheading Argentina to the World Cup round of 16 | OneFootball

Tottenham Hotspur’s Cristian Romero caused the winning goal as Argentina claimed a 3-2 victory over Cape Verde to advance to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.

The Spurs star rose to meet a Lionel Messi corner, which he headed on to a Cape Verdean hand before the ball rolled into the far corner.

Romero has put a disappointing season with Tottenham in the Premier League behind him and has donned his national team colours, featuring in a World Cup classic.

The Africans pushed the South Americans to the brink, coming back twice to force extra time in a commendable display.

They had the reigning world champions on the ropes, giving them a fright for the ages. It was a sensational showing for the first-timers.

Still, Argentina and Romero are into the round of 16 of the tournament, where they’ll continue their bid to add a third star to their crest.

Argentina claimed the win with the Tottenham captain delivering a phenomenal performance despite missing a massive chance.

Romero won 6/9 duels, completed 112/117 passes (96% accuracy), made three progressive carries, and completed 2/4 long balls.

The Tottenham hierarchy will be watching Romero’s performances, knowing that the 28-year-old’s future could lie away from North London.

Spurs have added Jan Paul Van Hecke and Marcos Senesi to their ranks this summer. They will join Kevin Danso, Micky Van de Ven, and Romero on the roster.

Luka Vuskovic is gone, and Radu Dragusin is poised to follow him out the door.

It remains unclear whether Tottenham will fight hard to keep Romero if suitors come with the right amount for a player who has pushed for an exit at multiple points.

He may have signed a new deal, but questions about his future persist, especially with Spurs now stacked in the rearguard.