Romerito

Template:Short description {{#invoke:other uses|otheruses}} Template:Family name hatnote Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox football biography

Julio César Romero Insfrán (born 28 August 1960), also known as Romerito, is a Paraguayan former professional footballer who played as a midfielder, considered among the greatest players in Paraguayan football history. He is the only Paraguayan named by Pelé as one of the FIFA 100 in March 2004.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Born in Luque, Paraguay, Romero started his career at local club Sportivo Luqueño in 1977, by 1979 Romero's consistent performances had earned him a place in the Paraguay national team that played in the FIFA World Youth Championship and was considered one of the best players of the tournament along with Diego Maradona. In the same year, Romero played a key role in Paraguay's win in the Copa América, scoring three goals.

In 1980, he joined now defunct New York Cosmos where he played alongside such greats as the Brazilian and German World Cup winning captains of 1970 and 1974 Carlos Alberto and Franz Beckenbauer. In the 1980 Soccer Bowl he scored the game-winning goal of a 3–0 victory over Ft. Lauderdale.<ref>Template:Cite web </ref>

Romero moved to Brazil to play for Fluminense where he was selected as the South American Footballer of the Year in 1985. He became a fan favorite after leading the team to a Campeonato Brasileiro.

In 1986, he was a key player in helping the Paraguay national team return to the FIFA World Cup finals after a 28-year hiatus.<ref>World Cup 1986 qualifications by Karel Stokkermans, Sergio Henrique Jarreta and Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation</ref><ref>World Cup 1986 finals by Karel Stokkermans, Sergio Henrique Jarreta and Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation</ref> At the finals in Mexico, he scored against Iraq and the host nation in the first round.

After a short spell with FC Barcelona in Spain<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and a stint in Mexico with Puebla F.C. Romero returned to South America where he played out his career with Olimpia, Club Cerro Corá and Sportivo Luqueño in Paraguay and Deportes La Serena in Chile.

During his career, he scored a little more than 400 goals.

International goals

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	31 October 1979	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	Template:Fb	2–2	2–2	1979 Copa América
2.	28 November 1979	Asunción, Paraguay	Template:Fb	1–0	3–0
3.				3–0
4.	31 May 1981		Template:Fb	3–0	3–1	1982 FIFA World Cup qualification
5.	5 October 1983	Lima, Peru	Template:Fb	?–0	2–0	Friendly
6.	7 October 1983	Asunción, Paraguay	Template:Fb	?–?	4–1
7.				?–?
8.	9 June 1985	Asunción, Paraguay	Template:Fb	3–0	3–0	1986 FIFA World Cup qualification
9.	23 June 1985	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil	Template:Fb	1–1	1–1
10.	27 October 1985	Asunción, Paraguay	Template:Fb	2–0	3–0
11.	17 November 1985	Santiago, Chile	Template:Fb	2–1	2–2
12.	4 June 1986	Toluca, Mexico	Template:Fb	1–0	1–0	1986 FIFA World Cup
13.	7 June 1986	Mexico City, Mexico	Template:Fb	1–1	1–1

Honours

New York Cosmos

• NASL: 1980, 1982

Fluminense

• Série A: 1984
• Campeonato Carioca: 1984, 1985

Barcelona

• UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 1988–89<ref>Template:BDFutbol</ref>

Puebla

• Primera División: 1989–90
• Copa Mexico: 1989–90

Olimpia Asunción

• Torneo República: 1992

Paraguay

• Copa América: 1979

Individual

• South American Footballer of the Year: 1985;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Silver Award: 1979<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• South American Team of the Year: 1986<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Paraguayan First Division top scorer: 1990
• FIFA top 125 greatest living footballers: 2004

Facts

• Romero is the equal 3rd highest goalscorer in the history of the Paraguay national team with 13 goals.
• Romero is a politician for the Colorado Party in his native city of Luque and works as a city counselor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• In September 2006 Romero made his debut as a rock singer in the Paraguayan music festival called "Pilsen Rock". He took the stage as a guest of the popular local band Revolber and sang the opening words of the song "Siete hermanos, 1 misil" in front of a crowd of 40,000.<ref>Marca article</ref>

External links

• Template:BDFutbol
• Template:Webarchive Template:In lang
• Romero's debut as a rock singer (video)
• Midfield Dynamo's 10 Heroes of the Copa América Romero listed in the top 10
• New York Cosmos stats
• Template:FIFA player