Injury Blow for Tottenham as Defender Romero Ruled Out for Four or Five Weeks

Tottenham's Cristian Romero, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (AP)
Tottenham's Cristian Romero, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (AP)
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Injury Blow for Tottenham as Defender Romero Ruled Out for Four or Five Weeks

Tottenham's Cristian Romero, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (AP)
Tottenham's Cristian Romero, left, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, England, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023. (AP)

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero will be out of action for four or five weeks with a hamstring injury, manager Ange Postecoglou said on Wednesday.

The Argentina international, who only returned from a three-match suspension at the start of this month, sustained the injury during Saturday's 2-1 Premier League victory over Everton.

On the eve of fourth-place Tottenham's Premier League game at Brighton on Thursday, Postecoglou told reporters: “Not so great with Romero. He had a scan the other day and has got a hamstring strain. We are looking at probably four or five weeks for him.

“Disappointing to lose him, for sure. We obviously missed him with the suspension and now we’ve just got him back and he steadied things up. Now he will be missing again for quite a chunk of time.”

However, Romero's center-back partner Micky van de Ven should be ready to return soon after his own hamstring injury.

“We will see him some time in January,” Postecoglou said. "I don’t think for Burnley (in the FA Cup on Jan. 5) but for Manchester United on the 14th potentially.

“He is not due to be part of the group this week, so we’ll see how he is going at the end of this week. Once they start training with the group, that’s when we start thinking about if they are available."

Spurs will have Destiny Udogie back at ninth-place Brighton after his one-match ban, and Postecoglou could push full-back Emerson Royal into the heart of defense alongside Ben Davies in Romero’s absence.



Japanese Soccer Player Kazuyoshi Miura Says He Will Play Next Season at Age 58

 Kazuyoshi Miura, former forward of Japan's national football team, poses at a press conference at National Stadium in Tokyo on June 25, 2024, as Atletico Suzuka announced that he has rejoined the fourth-tier club. (Kyodo News via AP)
Kazuyoshi Miura, former forward of Japan's national football team, poses at a press conference at National Stadium in Tokyo on June 25, 2024, as Atletico Suzuka announced that he has rejoined the fourth-tier club. (Kyodo News via AP)
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Japanese Soccer Player Kazuyoshi Miura Says He Will Play Next Season at Age 58

 Kazuyoshi Miura, former forward of Japan's national football team, poses at a press conference at National Stadium in Tokyo on June 25, 2024, as Atletico Suzuka announced that he has rejoined the fourth-tier club. (Kyodo News via AP)
Kazuyoshi Miura, former forward of Japan's national football team, poses at a press conference at National Stadium in Tokyo on June 25, 2024, as Atletico Suzuka announced that he has rejoined the fourth-tier club. (Kyodo News via AP)

Japanese soccer player Kazuyoshi Miura is several generations older than his teammates. His contemporaries retired decades ago. Lionel Messi is 37, and Cristiano Ronaldo is 39 — mere youngsters compared to Miura.

Miura will turn 58 in February, and the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported this week that he intends to play next season for his fourth-tier Japanese club, Suzuka. It will be his 40th season playing in professional soccer.

Miura is widely listed as the oldest active professional soccer player.

Miura scored 55 goals in 89 appearances and was a star with Japan’s national team in the 1990s.

He has played professionally in Brazil, Italy, Croatia, Australia and Portugal. He made his debut in 1986 with Brazilian club Santos, a side made famous by Brazilian star Pelé.