Romero's rise in European and world football has been a very slow one.

He will celebrate his 31st birthday while out in Korea and Japan but it was only two years ago that he received his first call from the international selectors.

Clubs across Spain have battled for his services and he has enjoyed spells at CD Logrones, Valencia and Mallorca.

But it is at the heart of the Deportivo defence that his technical prowess, his confidence and his ability to pass out of danger have come to the fore.