Who will succeed Lionel Messi as Argentina captain? Here's the player who is reportedly in charge now

Argentina football legend Lionel Messi has announced his retirement from international football, ending a glorious career with his country. Messi has been the first captain of Argentina since 2011 and with his departure the national team needs a new leader.

Argentina defender, Cristian Romero has been named in several local reports as Messi's successor.

Cristian Romero set to become new Argentina captain after Lionel Messi

Cristian Romero will be the new captain of the Argentina football team after Lionel Messi's international retirement. Romero and Messi have been playing together for Argentina since 2021 and together, they have won two Copa Americas (2021, 2024) and a FIFA World Cup (Qatar, 2022).

The 28-year-old, who transferred to Atletico Madrid this summer, had an impressive World Cup campaign a few months ago. Besides his defensive heroics, he also scored a crucial goal against Egypt in the Round of 16 that kicked off Argentina's historic comeback after being 2-0 down.

Following Messi's retirement, Romero penned an emotional note on Instagram dedicated to the former Argentina captain. "As a kid, I dreamed of meeting you one day. But I never imagined life would gift me the chance to share this journey with you and live through the greatest, golden era of our National Team by your side", he wrote.

He added, "We’re going to miss you so much in the day-to-day life of the National Team. But the most important thing is seeing you doing well, happy, and surrounded by your loved ones—that’s what matters most."

Romero has previously assumed the role of a captain at his previous club, Tottenham Hotspur after their first captain, Son Heung-Min left the club. He has even been the captain for a select few matches for Argentina.

With 58 caps for his country, Cristian Romero has scored four goals for Argentina and has registered two assists.

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