Enrique Romero


Enrique Fernández Romero is a Spanish retired footballer who played as a left back.
He played for four clubs during his professional career over 16 seasons – notably Deportivo which he helped win four major titles, including its only La Liga championship – amassing top division totals of 396 games and 14 goals.
Romero represented Spain at the 2002 World Cup.

Club career

Born in Jerez de la Frontera, Province of Cádiz, Romero started his professional career with La Rioja's CD Logroñés. He appeared in only three La Liga games in his first two seasons combined but was first-choice in 1993–94, with the team again managing to retain their division status.
After having represented Valencia CF and RCD Mallorca, never appearing in less than 30 league matches during his spell with both clubs combined, Romero joined Deportivo de La Coruña in 1998. There, he blossomed as a very attacking left-back, notably playing in 50 UEFA Champions League matches for the Galicians and contributing with 34 games and one goal in the 1999–2000 campaign as Depor won its first national championship.
In summer 2006, after being ousted by younger Joan Capdevila – although he was a very reliable defensive unit, never making less than 17 appearances and sometimes playing as central defender– Romero signed with Real Betis. After a sole season, which coincided with the emergence of new signing Fernando Vega, he opted to retire from professional football at the age of 36, having played in more than 500 official matches.

International career

Romero won ten caps for Spain, his first appearance coming on 23 February 2000 in a friendly match with Croatia, in Split. He represented the nation at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea, playing three matches for the eventual quarter-finalists.

Honours

Deportivo
Mallorca