Romerito and Barcelona, a story that didn't go well

Last update 20 October, 2023 por Alberto Llopis

In the late 80 Football was very different from what we know today and even more so in teams like Real Madrid y Barcelona where today (except for some cases) It seems almost surreal arrived players like the protagonist of this article, the good of Julio Cesar Romero better known as Romerito. The signing of this Paraguayan came to the fore in 1988 when Johan Cruyff's first Barcelona began to walk and the signing of Romerito intended to be the first stone of that team that would later mark an era.

Obviously it wasn't like that. Nacido en 1960, Romerito arrived at Barcelona with the season already started 40 millones de pesetas from the end of the 80 they were a few million. The Cruyff himself warranted his move as Romerito, He came with a pretty good record in South America but in Europe at that time without the means today as Google or Youtube, I did not know hardly anyone. Less for a giant like Barcelona.

How did Romerito arrive at Barcelona?

Romerito had been appointed best South American footballer of 1985 and had triumphed in Fluminense brasileño. He had also played in the old New York Cosmos that was giving its last blows and in the Sportivo Luqueño. As everything pointed, his move was a disaster because it did not gather or ten games with Barcelona and just spent a few months as Barca despite the millionaire who had paid for it.

They reached tildarle jinx for Barça and his later career was not very prominent although retired in 1998 when I already had 38 años. He played for Puebla, Olympia of Asuncion, Deportes La Serena, Cerro Corá Club and Sportivo Luqueño again. With Paraguay if he was better where he was an idol and when he was 19 years was a key piece for the Paraguayans to win the Copa América de 1979.

Although it did not have a spectacular race perhaps all that could to think for it as apart of his career was modest Barcelona, el propio Skin, con el que played for Cosmos included it in his list of los 125 best living players 2004, something that coming from O'rei is worthy of praise although it seems that everything comes from when they played together in New York. And is that despite everything, Romerito achieved recognition from two of the best players in history, Skin y Cruyff but still, it remained as one of the worst signings in the history of the League.