A senior Tottenham Hotspur player capped off an impressive Europa League campaign with an extremely solid display on the night of the final, and he has now been recognised for his efforts during the campaign.
Many were surprised when they saw Ange Postecoglou‘s starting eleven for the final, considering it did not contain captain Heung-min Son, with Richarlison getting a nod to start on the left of the attack instead.
That put even more responsibility on the shoulders of Cristian Romero, who was not just the captain but the most experienced player on the pitch by some margin when it comes to playing in big finals.
The World Cup and two-time Copa America-winning centre-back delivered a real captain’s performance, rising to the occasion for his side once again, and being named as the player of the Match, but that was not the only honour he received.
Cristian Romero named the best player in this season’s Europa League
Tottenham won the Europa League title thanks to their defensive organisation rather than their attacking flair, with the Lilywhites keeping clean sheets away at Eintracht Frankfurt, Bodo/Glimt, and also in the final.
Romero’s return from injury has been a key reason behind Spurs’ defensive improvements, with the Argentine having a strong end to the season.
The 27-year-old has been rightfully adjudged the Europa League Player of the Season, adding yet another award to his growing list of accolades.
Could the Europa League final be Romero’s last game in a Tottenham shirt?
Over the last few weeks, there have been a lot of rumours suggesting that Romero wants to swap Tottenham for Atletico Madrid this summer.
It had been claimed last week by GiveMeSport that Europa League success is unlikely to change Romero’s mind on a transfer, with the centre-back thought to have made up his mind to seek a new challenge.
If that is the case and the Argentine ends up leaving, he can certainly do so with his head held up high, with the Tottenham legacy now very much secure.