1. Overview
Óscar David Romero Villamayor (Óscar David Romero Villamayorˈoskaɾ roˈmeɾoSpanish; born July 4, 1992) is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Botafogo and the Paraguay national team. He is widely recognized as the twin brother of fellow footballer Ángel Romero. Romero's career spans multiple prominent clubs across South America, Europe, and Asia, including Cerro Porteño, Racing Club, Shanghai Shenhua, Deportivo Alavés, San Lorenzo, Boca Juniors, and Pendikspor, before joining Botafogo. He has also been a consistent presence for the Paraguay national team in various international competitions.
2. Early Life and Youth Career
Óscar Romero's early life and formative years in football, including his time in youth clubs, were crucial in shaping his professional path.
2.1. Birth and Background
Óscar David Romero Villamayor was born on July 4, 1992, in Fernando de la Mora, Paraguay. He is the twin brother of Ángel Romero, who is also a professional footballer. The brothers are known for their similar appearance.
2.2. Youth Club Activities
Romero began his youth career at Boca Juniors when he was 15 years old. However, he was unable to continue with the club due to paperwork issues. Subsequently, he joined the youth ranks of Cerro Porteño at the age of 14, where he spent his developmental years before being promoted to the senior team.
3. Club Career
Óscar Romero's professional club career has seen him play for various teams across different leagues, demonstrating his versatility and skill as an attacking midfielder.
3.1. Cerro Porteño
Romero was promoted to the first team of Cerro Porteño in 2011. He made his professional debut in the Paraguayan Primera División on May 15, 2011, in a 1-0 defeat against General Caballero SC. His first professional goal came on December 1, 2012, against Sportivo Luqueño. In 2013, under the guidance of new technical director Francisco Arce, Romero, alongside his brother Ángel, received increased opportunities as the club prioritized youth development. His impressive performances garnered attention from European teams, including Spanish clubs Real Madrid B and Valencia Football Club, as well as Baniyas SC of the United Arab Emirates, and also led to his call-up to the Paraguay national team. In October 2014, following strong showings in the knockout round of the Copa Sudamericana 2014 against Lanús of Argentina, where he scored three goals, his market value was estimated between 3.00 M USD and 6.00 M USD. He drew further interest from major European clubs, notably Atlético Madrid.
3.2. Racing Club
On January 28, 2015, Romero transferred to Racing Club for 2.70 M USD. He made his debut on February 18, 2015, in a Copa Libertadores match against Deportivo Táchira. Romero scored his first competitive goal for Racing Club on March 13, 2015, against Club Atlético Colón. He followed this with his second goal on August 15, 2015, against Unión de Santa Fe.
3.3. Shanghai Shenhua and Deportivo Alavés Loan
Romero joined Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League for the 2017 season. Upon his transfer, he was immediately loaned to Deportivo Alavés in La Liga for the 2017 season. He made his debut in Spanish football on February 2, 2017, in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals against Celta Vigo. After his loan spell concluded, Romero returned to Shanghai Shenhua for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. During his tenure with the Chinese club, he notably won the Chinese FA Cup in 2019.
3.4. San Lorenzo
In 2019, San Lorenzo acquired Romero's services on a two-year contract. He remained with the Argentine club until his departure in 2021.
3.5. Boca Juniors
Romero joined Boca Juniors in February 2022 on a free transfer, signing a two-year contract. During his time at Boca Juniors, he played a significant role in the team's success, contributing to their capture of the Primera División, Copa de la Liga Profesional, and Supercopa Argentina titles in 2022.
3.6. Pendikspor
On August 9, 2023, Óscar Romero signed with Süper Lig club Pendikspor in Turkey, where he contributed to the team's efforts during his period there.
3.7. Botafogo
On March 18, 2024, Romero was officially announced as a new signing for Botafogo in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, with his contract extending until the end of the season. He was assigned the number 70 shirt, which he stated was a homage to legendary Botafogo player Garrincha, signifying "10 times Garrincha." On April 2, Romero was included in Botafogo's squad for the first time for a Copa Libertadores match against Junior de Barranquilla. He subsequently made his debut against the Colombians at Estádio Nilton Santos, entering the match in the 39th minute of the second half, replacing Marlon Freitas.
On May 13, 2024, Romero was removed from Botafogo's travel delegation for a Copa Libertadores match against Universitario in Peru, following an act of indiscipline. According to specialized press reports, Romero, along with teammate Diego Hernández, allegedly brought women to the team's concentration after a match against Fortaleza. The following day, Romero publicly acknowledged and accepted Botafogo's disciplinary action. However, he denied the specific allegation of bringing women to the team hotel, stating that he would not tolerate such claims damaging his family's reputation.
4. National Team Career
Óscar Romero has been a key player for the Paraguay national team, making significant contributions in various international matches and tournaments.
4.1. National Team Debut and Early Activities
Romero received his first call-up to the Paraguay national team in 2013. He scored his debut international goal on May 29, 2014, in a friendly match against the Cameroon national team in Kufstein, Austria, contributing to a 2-1 victory. On September 1, 2016, he scored against the Chile national team in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier held in Asunción, helping Paraguay secure a 2-1 win. He scored another goal against the Japan national team on June 12, 2018, in Innsbruck, Austria, in a friendly match, although Paraguay ultimately lost 2-4. His fourth international goal was scored on September 10, 2019, in a friendly against the Jordan national team in Amman, a match Paraguay won 4-2.
4.2. Participation in Major International Tournaments
Romero was included in Paraguay's final squad for the 2015 Copa América. He made an appearance as a substitute in the quarter-final match against the Brazil national team. He was also part of the Paraguay squad that competed in the Copa América Centenario.
5. Career Statistics
This section provides a detailed statistical overview of Óscar Romero's appearances and goals in his professional club and international career.
5.1. Club Statistics
The 'National cup' column includes appearances in competitions such as the Copa Argentina, Copa del Rey, Chinese FA Cup, and Turkish Cup. The 'Continental' column includes appearances in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana. The 'Other' column includes appearances in the Copa de la Superliga, Trofeo de Campeones de la Liga Profesional, and Supercopa Argentina.
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Cerro Porteño | 2011 | Paraguayan Primera División | 10 | 1 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 10 | 1 | ||
| 2012 | 7 | 1 | - | - | - | 7 | 1 | |||||
| 2013 | 35 | 6 | - | 8 | 0 | - | 43 | 6 | ||||
| 2014 | 38 | 5 | - | 16 | 4 | - | 54 | 9 | ||||
| Total | 90 | 13 | - | 24 | 4 | - | 114 | 17 | ||||
| Racing Club | 2015 | Argentine Primera División | 24 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | - | 36 | 4 | |
| 2016 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 | - | 22 | 6 | |||
| 2016-17 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 13 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 47 | 9 | 6 | 1 | 18 | 1 | - | 71 | 11 | |||
| Alavés (loan) | 2016-17 | La Liga | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 15 | 0 | ||
| 2017-18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 5 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 20 | 0 | ||||
| Shanghai Shenhua | 2018 | Chinese Super League | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 17 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 11 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 26 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 28 | 6 | |||
| San Lorenzo | 2019-20 | Argentine Primera División | 21 | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | 1 | 2 | 23 | 6 | |
| 2020-21 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | - | 15 | 3 | |||
| 2021 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 17 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 46 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 55 | 10 | ||
| Boca Juniors | 2022 | Argentine Primera División | 32 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 45 | 2 |
| 2023 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 2 | ||
| Total | 48 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 65 | 4 | ||
| Pendikspor | 2023-24 | Süper Lig | 12 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | - | 14 | 4 | ||
| Botafogo | 2024 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 287 | 38 | 17 | 6 | 60 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 367 | 52 | ||
5.2. International Statistics
Scores and results list Paraguay's goal tally first.
| Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 29 May 2014 | Kufstein Arena, Kufstein, Austria | Cameroon | 1-0 | 2-1 | Friendly |
| 2. | 1 September 2016 | Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay | Chile | 1-0 | 2-1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3. | 12 June 2018 | Tivoli-Neu, Innsbruck, Austria | Japan | 1-0 | 2-4 | Friendly |
| 4. | 10 September 2019 | Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan | Jordan | 1-2 | 4-2 |
6. Honours
Óscar Romero has achieved several team titles throughout his career.
- Shanghai Shenhua
- Chinese FA Cup: 2019
- Boca Juniors
- Primera División: 2022
- Copa de la Liga Profesional: 2022
- Supercopa Argentina: 2022
- Botafogo
- Copa Libertadores: 2024
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2024
7. Personal Life
Óscar Romero is known for his close relationship with his twin brother, Ángel Romero, who is also a professional footballer. Standing at 69 in (176 cm), he and his brother are frequently noted for their strong resemblance. Ángel has played for clubs such as Corinthians.