Cristian Romero is OUT for the season with knee ligament injury in huge blow to relegation-threatened Spurs – but crying captain could still make the World Cup with Argentina

Tottenham captain Cristian Romero is out for the remainder of the Premier League season but could recover in time to feature for Argentina at the World Cup.

Romero tearfully hobbled off during Spurs’ dismal 1-0 defeat against Sunderland on Sunday, having suffered a knee injury after a collision with team-mate Antonin Kinsky.

Romero appeared distraught and was consoled by team-mates as he was substituted off with injury, perhaps conscious that he could play no further part in Tottenham’s relegation battle and would likely miss Argentina’s World Cup defence this summer.

Tottenham confirmed to Daily Mail Sport on Monday that Romero will play no further part in Spurs’ relegation scrap after suffering partial tear of his medial cruciate ligament.

Expected to be sidelined for up to eight weeks, he may still make a recovery in time for the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.

The injury blow means Romero could have played his final match for Tottenham, as he is expected to seek an exit from Spurs should they go down to the Championship.  

After West Ham’s emphatic 4-0 victory over Wolves and Tottenham’s 1-0 defeat to Sunderland, the historic Premier League club dropped into the relegation zone with only six matches remaining. 

Former Spurs star Danny Murphy believes Romero’s tears were not for Tottenham and their relegation plight but rather for Argentina, fearing he would miss the World Cup.

Speaking on talkSPORT on Monday, Murphy said: ‘I think his tears were probably because he thinks he’ll miss the World Cup. I know that sounds a bit cynical but why are you crying if you’ve just got a knock?

‘I mean, it did look a naughty one [the collision]. I think he thinks he’s done his knee, I think he knows’.

‘You know as a player when you’ve got a bad one and I think the tears were: “I’m going to miss the World Cup”.

‘I’m not saying he doesn’t care about Tottenham, but what I mean is, that wasn’t: “Oh, I’m leaving the pitch and we’ll lose”.’

Romero’s harmful collision with Kinsky came after he appeared to be shoved by Sunderland forward Brian Brobbey, who escaped the incident without sanction.

De Zerbi, who is set to have to navigate the remainder of the season without one of his most experienced players, said of the Argentine when he arrived at Spurs: ‘I think Cuti is crucial for us, crucial for Tottenham as a club. 

‘He is the captain, he is maybe the most important player in our squad, and to achieve our goal, we need the best of Romero.’

Tottenham’s next match comes against De Zerbi’s former club Brighton next Saturday, before another crucial clash against bottom-of-the-league Wolves.