Thomas Frank appoints new Spurs captain following Heung-min Son's exit

Contributor
Chirag Sharatkumar
Thomas Frank appoints new Spurs captain following Heung-min Son's exit image

Thomas Frank has appointed Cristian Romero as Tottenham Hotspur’s new captain following Heung-min Son’s move to LAFC this summer.

Romero served as vice-captain under Son for the past two seasons, but the South Korea international’s MLS departure earlier this month meant that new head coach Thomas Frank had to seek a new leader in his squad.

Son captained Spurs to their first major trophy in 17 years, lifting the Europa League in Bilbao last season after defeating Manchester United.

Replacing Son as captain will certainly be a tall order, but Romero seems more than up to the task, having now earned the confidence of his new manager.

The Argentine is already a World Cup and two-time Copa America champion and was a valuable part of former boss Ange Postecoglou’s leadership group, leading Spurs on 13 occasions last season, including in the Europa League final against United.

Since his arrival from Atalanta in 2021, Romero has made 124 appearances for Spurs in all competitions, including 100 in the Premier League.

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Romero ‘honoured’ to lead Spurs

News of Frank’s decision broke on Wednesday (August 13) and Romero promptly made a statement to Spurs fans shortly after.

“Today begins a new season for us, one that is truly special to me,” the Argentine said in a post on X.

“Becoming the first captain of this beautiful club is an incredible honour.

“I arrived here four years ago with a single dream: to write my name into the club's history and leave my mark by winning a trophy, and I achieved that.

“Now, a new journey is in front of us. A beautiful season lies ahead, and together we will work to relive the joy of that unforgettable day, May 21, 2025.

“Whatever happens along the way, I ask only one thing: stay united. There will be highs and lows, but together, nothing is impossible. Come on you Spurs.”

The 27-year-old has also earned public praise from Frank for his leadership qualities on and off the pitch.

“I had a good conversation with Cuti Romero, and he's going to be our captain,” Frank told the club's media team.

“He was very honoured and very happy about it. It's a big thing and should be to lead this wonderful club out on the pitch, not just for this Super Cup, but also throughout the season.

“I think he has all the right qualities. He leads from his behaviour on the pitch, driving the team forward in every way, and outside the pitch he's always pushing the team.”

Romero will lead Spurs out for Wednesday’s UEFA Super Cup clash against Paris Saint-Germain before captaining them in their Premier League opener against Burnley on Saturday (August 16).

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