Tomás Romero (footballer) explained

Tomás Romero
Fullname:Tomás Líam Romero Keubler[1]
Birth Date:19 December 2000
Birth Place:Cherry Hill, New Jersey, United States
Height:1.88m (06.17feet)
Position:Goalkeeper
Currentclub:New York City FC
Clubnumber:30
Youthclubs1:Real Jersey FC
Youthclubs2:Philadelphia Union
Collegeyears1:2019–2020
College1:Georgetown Hoyas
Collegecaps1:12
Collegegoals1:0
Years1:2017–2019
Clubs1:Bethlehem Steel
Caps1:17
Goals1:0
Years2:2021–2022
Clubs2:Los Angeles FC
Caps2:18
Goals2:0
Years3:2021–2022
Clubs3:Las Vegas Lights (loan)
Caps3:18
Goals3:0
Years4:2023
Clubs4:Toronto FC
Caps4:6
Goals4:0
Years5:2023
Caps5:1
Goals5:0
Years6:2024–
Clubs6:New York City FC
Caps6:0
Goals6:0
Years7:2024–
Caps7:1
Goals7:0
Nationalyears1:2016–2017
Nationalteam1:El Salvador U17
Nationalcaps1:7
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2021
Nationalteam2:El Salvador U23
Nationalcaps2:1
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2021–
Nationalteam3:El Salvador
Nationalcaps3:13
Nationalgoals3:0
Pcupdate:March 17, 2024
Ntupdate:March 27, 2024

Tomás Líam Romero Keubler (born 19 December 2000) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for New York City FC in Major League Soccer. Born in the United States, he plays for the El Salvador national team.

Early life

He played youth soccer with Real Jersey FC, before later joining the Philadelphia Union's YSC Academy when he was in eighth grade.[2]

College career

In December 2017, he committed to Georgetown University to play for the men's soccer team starting in 2019.[3] [4] He made his debut and earned his first victory and clean sheet on September 2 against the Temple Owls.[5] In November 2019, he was named the Big East Conference Goalkeeper of the Week.[6] In December 2019, he helped the Hoyas win the National title, making the game-winning penalty shootout save, to lead Georgetown to their first-ever National Title in soccer.[7] [8] He was unable to play in 2020, as the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[9]

Club career

On September 10, 2016, Romero was called up to the Union's USL affiliate Bethlehem Steel FC to serve as the backup keeper for a match against the Charleston Battery.[10] In the offseason, he attended training camp with both Bethlehem and the Philadelphia Union. On April 1, 2017, he made his professional debut at age 16 for the Steel, against the Rochester Rhinos, becoming the youngest goalkeeper to start a USL match.[11] In July 2019, he was named USL Championship Player of the Week,[12] [13] after recording a career-high 11 saves ina 1–0 win over Louisville City FC on July 20, 2019.[14] During the fall of 2020, he trained with Philadelphia Union II (the renamed Bethlehem Steel), after the Georgetown season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[15]

In January 2021, he joined Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC, after the club acquired his homegrown player rights from the Union for $50,000 in general allocation money.[16] [17] He officially signed his first professional contract with LAFC on 1 February 2021.[18] [19] He began the 2021 season on loan with the club's USL Championship affiliate team, the Las Vegas Lights.[20] On June 23, 2021, Romero made his MLS debut with LAFC in a 2–0 win over FC Dallas, keeping a clean sheet.[21] [22] He returned to Las Vegas on loan in 2022.[23] He was part of LAFC's 2022 MLS Cup winning squad, although he did not feature in any matches that season.[24] [25] After the 2022 season, LAFC declined his club option for the 2023 season.[26]

In November 2022, at the 2022 MLS Re-Entry Draft, Toronto FC claimed his contract for the 2023 season, re-uniting him with Bob Bradley, who was his former head coach at LAFC in 2021.[27] [28] In 2023, he was loaned to the second team, Toronto FC II for some matches,[29] making his debut on April 23 against Philadelphia Union II.[30] He made his debut for the first team on July 8 against St. Louis City SC.[31] At the end of the 2023 season, the club declined his option for the 2024 season.[32]

In February 2024, he signed a one-year contract with New York City FC.[33] [34]

International career

Romero was eligible to represent the United States, where he was born, and El Salvador through descent.

In August 2016, he was called up to the El Salvador national U17 team for the first time.[35] He made his debut with the U17s at the Central American Qualifying tournament for the 2017 CONCACAF U17 Championship on 21 November 2016 against Belize U17.[36] He subsequently represented the side at the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Panama.[37] He also played with the side at the 2017 Bolivarian Games.

In June 2019, he was called up to the El Salvador U23 for the Olympic qualifiers.[38] He made his debut for the U23s against Haiti U23 on March 26, 2021.[39]

On May 31, 2021, the Salvadoran Football Federation released a statement that Romero had declined an invitation to the El Salvador senior team because he wanted to maintain the possibility of playing for the United States.[40] [41] [42] However, he subequenltly committed to El Salvador and debuted for the senior team in a friendly 1–1 draw against Ecuador on 5 December 2021.[43] [44]

Career statistics

Club

ClubSeasonLeaguePlayoffsNational CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Bethlehem Steel FC2017USL700070
2018100010
2019USL Championship9090
Total17000000000170
Los Angeles FC2021Major League Soccer180180
202200000000
Total18000000000180
Las Vegas Lights FC (loan)2021USL Championship5050
2022130130
Total18000000000180
Toronto FC2023Major League Soccer60000060
Toronto FC II (loan)2023MLS Next Pro1010
Career total60000000000600

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
El Salvador202120
202230
202370
202410
Total130

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2020 Concacaf Men's Olympic Qualifying preliminary rosters confirmed. CONCACAF. 23 February 2021.
  2. Web site: Meet the 16-year-old from Cherry Hill who made U.S. soccer history this summer. October 4, 2017. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Jonathan. Tannenwald.
  3. Web site: Shealer. Sheldon. Recruiting Roundup: December 18–24. Top Drawer Soccer. 18 December 2017.
  4. Web site: Tomas Romero Georgetown Hoyas Profile. Georgetown Hoyas.
  5. Web site: No. 13 Hoyas Blank Owls, 3-0. September 2, 2019. Georgetown Hoyas.
  6. Web site: Romero Named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week. November 4, 2019. Georgetown Hoyas.
  7. Web site: Tomas Romero's big save. December 17, 2019. The Philly Soccer Page. Tim. Jones.
  8. Web site: Young Toronto FC goalkeeper Tomas Romero has already packed a lot in in soccer career. January 16, 2023. Toronto Star. Neil. Davidson.
  9. Web site: Romero Signs Professional Contract with Los Angeles Football Club. February 2, 2022. Georgetown Hoyas.
  10. Web site: Tomas Romero Reflects on Professional Debut with Bethlehem Steel FC. United Soccer League. April 6, 2017.
  11. Web site: Steel FC's Romero Breaks New Ground. United Soccer League. 8 April 2017. Nicholas. Murphy.
  12. Web site: Bethlehem Steel FC's Tomás Romero voted as USL Championship Player of the Week. July 23, 2019. Philadelphia Union.
  13. Web site: Tomas Romero's growth as a goalkeeper shows in USL Championship Player of the Week performance. July 27, 2019. Matthew. Ralph. Brotherly Game.
  14. News: Toronto FC counting on Tomas Romero to be a tank in goal. November 17, 2023. Toronto Sun. Steve. Buffery.
  15. Web site: LAFC sends $50,000 to the Union for Homegrown rights to Tomas Romero. January 22, 2021. Sean. Sullivan. Brotherly Game.
  16. Web site: LAFC Acquires MLS Homegrown Rights To Goalkeeper Tomas Romero . . 21 January 2021. 26 January 2021.
  17. Web site: Oficial: Tomás Romero es nuevo jugador de Los Ángeles Football Club. Official: Tomás Romero is a new Los Angeles Football Club player. es. January 21, 2021. Futbol Centro America. Feisal. Rishmawy.
  18. Web site: LAFC sign GK Tomas Romero after acquiring homegrown rights from Philadelphia Union . Tom. Bogert . Major League Soccer. 1 February 2021.
  19. Web site: Georgetown goalkeeper Tomas Romero signs with LAFC. February 2, 2021. Soccerwire.
  20. Web site: LAFC 2021 Player Postmortem: Tomas Romero. Alicia. Rodriguez. Angels on Parade. January 13, 2022.
  21. Web site: Tomas Romero: The remarkably rapid rise of LAFC's young goalkeeper. July 23, 2021. Soccer America. Scott. French.
  22. Web site: Toronto FC: 6 things to know about new goalkeeper Tomas Romero. November 18, 2022. Toronto Reds. Paul. Taylor.
  23. Web site: El récord del salvadoreño Tomás Romero en la USL. Cancha. The record of Salvadoran Tomás Romero in the USL. es. March 19, 2022. Fernando. Medina.
  24. Web site: Tomás Romero, el salvadoreño que se consagró campeón con LAFC. Tomás Romero, the Salvadoran who became champion with LAFC. es. November 6, 2022. Diego. Mayel Ibarra. Diario AS.
  25. Web site: Tomás Romero celebró conquista de la MLS. Tomás Romero celebrated conquest of the MLS. es. November 6, 2022. Diego. Tovar. El Gráfico.
  26. Web site: LAFC no cuenta con Tomás Romero. es. LAFC does not have Tomás Romero. November 15, 2022. Rebeca. Martínez. Juego Directo.
  27. Web site: Toronto FC acquire goalkeeper Tomás Romero in MLS Re-Entry Draft. November 17, 2022. Toronto FC.
  28. Web site: Portero salvadoreño Tomás Romero se reencontrará con antiguo entrenador. Salvadoran goalkeeper Tomás Romero will reunite with former coach. es. November 17, 2022. Cancha. Robbie. Ruud.
  29. Web site: Toronto FC loan four players to TFC II for upcoming match against Union II. April 23, 2023. Toronto FC.
  30. Web site: Philadelphia Union II (3) - Toronto FC II (3) Postgame Summary. April 23, 2023. Our Sports Central.
  31. Web site: Toronto FC on five-game losing streak with Caribbean night loss to St. Louis City SC. Tomas. Karageorgos. Waking the Red. July 9, 2023.
  32. Web site: Toronto FC announce 2023 Roster Moves. November 2, 2023. Toronto FC.
  33. Web site: No doubting this Tomas:NYCFC signs NJ native, El Salvadoran GK Romero. Michael. Lewis. Front Row Soccer. February 6, 2024.
  34. Web site: Former Toronto FC goalkeeper Tomás Romero signs with New York City FC after TFC release. February 6, 2024. Waking the Red.
  35. Web site: Union U16 goalkeeper Tomas Romero called into El Salvador team. Brotherly Game. 12 October 2016. Matthew. Ralph.
  36. Web site: Tomas Romero, El Salvador U17s qualify for CONCACAF Championship. November 30, 2016. Brotherly Game. Matthew. Ralph.
  37. Web site: Romero and McKenzie Gain Valuable Experience in International Competitions. May 7, 2017. United Soccer League.
  38. Web site: La sub-23 contará con un portero de la USL de Estados Unidos en el tercer microciclo. The sub-23 will have a goalkeeper from the USL of the United States in the third microcycle. es. Jorge. Benítez. June 16, 2019. El Gráfico.
  39. Web site: LAFC international update: Romero starts in Olympic qualifying; Kaye sits for Canada. Alicia. Rodriguez. Angels on Parade. March 27, 2021.
  40. Web site: Actualización convocatoria Selección Nacional mayor. Senior National Team call update. es. Federación Salvadoreña de Fútbol. 31 May 2021.
  41. Web site: LAFC goalkeeper rejects El Salvador call up to retain USMNT eligibility. June 1, 2021. Major League Soccer. Jonathan. Sigal.
  42. Web site: LAFC goalkeeper Tomas Romero declines invitation to join El Salvador national team. Lizzy. Becherano. June 1, 2021. 90min.
  43. Web site: Tomás Romero será titular en El Salvador-Ecuador. Tomás Romero will start in El Salvador-Ecuador. es. December 3, 2021. El Gráfico.
  44. Web site: Aficionados y periodistas destacan que Tomás Romero fue el mejor de la selecta ante Ecuador, por eso lo pedía Hugo. Fans and journalists point out that Tomás Romero was the best in the team against Ecuador, which is why Hugo asked for it. December 5, 2021. El Salvador Day. es.