Angel Di Maria Endorses Cristian Romero as Argentina Captain After Lionel Messi's Farewell
Angel Di Maria Supports Cristian Romero as Argentina's New Captain
Angel Di Maria has expressed his full support for Cristian Romero, who has been named the next permanent captain of Argentina following Lionel Messi's upcoming farewell match against Benin on October 6. This marks a significant leadership shift for the team as Messi ends his legendary international career.
Scaloni Announces New Captain
Coach Lionel Scaloni officially confirmed that the 28-year-old Atletico Madrid centre-back, Romero, will take over the captaincy after Messi retires from international football. Romero had previously been the third choice in the leadership hierarchy behind Messi and Nicolas Otamendi. He has already experienced captain duties during matches against Chile, Venezuela, and Mauritania when senior players were absent.
Di Maria Praises Romero’s Leadership Qualities
During an interview on SportsCenter, Di Maria praised the decision to hand Romero the captaincy. He said, "He deserves it. I think it’s a great choice by Scaloni and the coaching staff. He deserves it because he’s a great guy. He has a great temperament to carry the armband and I’m sure he’ll do a great job."
Di Maria also encouraged fans to continue supporting the national team under this new leadership, adding, "I’m happy that people continue to support the national team because they will surely continue to bring us joy."
Scaloni Details Leadership Hierarchy
Scaloni acted quickly to name Romero captain to ensure a smooth transition while maintaining the squad's winning mentality. Speaking to TyC Sports, he outlined the captaincy structure: "The captain is going to be Cuti. He was already the third captain after Leo and Ota. There is Emiliano [Martinez], who can also wear the armband. Rodrigo [De Paul], who will not be in these two games, can also wear it. Lautaro [Martinez] can wear it. Cuti is the right one."
Upcoming Matches and Passing the Torch
Argentina will face Bolivia and Burkina Faso before Messi’s final game against Benin. The match against Benin will be an emotional moment as Romero officially assumes captain responsibilities on the field. The defender faces a tough challenge to maintain the high standards and unity within the team without the presence of the iconic Messi.
