After Messi's retirement, the Argentina National Team already has a new captain

The post-Lionel Messi era is already a reality that shakes the foundations of the Argentina national team. With the farewell of the historic star from Rosario after 21 years wearing the national team jersey, the team that conquered the football world faces one of its greatest challenges in recent times: rebuilding its leadership on the pitch and maintaining its competitive level.

However, the Rosario star is not the only major absence forcing the acceleration of the timeline for the institutional and footballing transition. The departure of experienced defender Nicolás Otamendi also left vacant the second spot within the captains' hierarchy that had been supporting the current administration.

Faced with this double star departure of undisputed leaders, the main responsibility will fall into the hands and on the shoulders of Cristian "Cuti" Romero. The newly signed center-back of Atlético de Madrid, 28 years old and developed football-wise at Belgrano de Córdoba, will assume the formal leadership of the group and the commanding voice of the Albiceleste squad.

A carefully considered decision in the privacy of the Scaloneta

According to TyC Sports in its reports on the national team's internal affairs, the captaincy list was not decided at the last minute or improvised after the farewell of the idols. The coaching staff led by Lionel Scaloni had already planned this organizational structure before facing the last World Cup. In that initial setup, Cuti was listed as the third captain of the squad.

For its part, the newspaper La Voz del Interior detailed that the coach from Pujato preferred to back Romero's specific weight over other renowned pillars within the squad. Names of enormous popular significance such as goalkeeper Emiliano "Dibu" Martínez or full-back Nicolás Tagliafico were left one step behind in the main chain of command.

Along the same lines, Infobae went into further detail, stating that the appointment of the man from Córdoba reflects a dressing-room leadership that naturally gained weight through decisive performances and authority in critical moments. Likewise, the aforementioned outlet revealed that the AFA considers Tagliafico and Dibu Martínez as the main candidates to take the vice-captaincy in the new era.

Fire tests passed with the armband

Although the official handover will take place during the upcoming international match windows, it will not be an entirely unprecedented experience for the center back. Over the course of his 58 official appearances wearing the senior national team's jersey, Romero had the opportunity to wear the armband in three previous matches under Scaloni.

The OneFootball news portal recalled what those immediate precedents were that reaffirmed the coaching staff's confidence in the player's qualities. The first test took place during the South American Qualifiers in the 1-0 away victory over Chile. The following opportunities came in the friendly win against Venezuela and in the subsequent international match against Mauritania in March.

Added to that background is an enviable list of honors that supports his standing among his teammates: the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the two-time Copa América championship (2021 and 2024), and the Finalissima won at Wembley. These are more than enough credentials to lead the new generation.

Friendlies ahead and Lionel Scaloni's continuity

The setting for Cuti Romero's formal debut as definitive captain will be the September international window. According to Infobae, the Argentine Football Association is working to finalize opponents from Concacaf and Africa—among them Burkina Faso and Benin—with matches that would be played at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires and the Mario Alberto Kempes in Córdoba.

Beyond the names for the position, in the AFA environment another major unknown persists surrounding the national team. As outlets such as TyC Sports and La Voz del Interior pointed out, Lionel Scaloni's long-term continuity at the helm of the project is not completely settled, since his deal is in the midst of renegotiation.

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