Isaac Romero, with a deep sense of hunger and humility, manages to impress and make his way to the forefront at Sevilla, according to writer Sid Lowe.

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In December of 2023, the day prior to a match, the coach of a team in Spain’s fourth division gathers his players. He reminds them of the team’s plan, with the bus departing at 6am for an away game 230km away and picking up players along the way. He shows the team a video, which features all of the goals scored by the opposing team’s striker, Isaac Romero. The video reveals that Romero has scored 11 goals in 13 games, and the center-back watching realizes that none of them were easy shots. Romero, who plays for Sevilla B, created each goal entirely on his own. The awe-inspiring defender remembers, “It was incredible, absolutely incredible. You could see he deserved a spot on the first team, and that’s exactly what happened. He’s on fire.”

“That might sound simple, but it was far from it,” Isaac reflects. He remembers playing before only a small audience of a few hundred people one morning and failing to score. However, the next time he scored a goal, there were 12,581 fans cheering him on. And on the following occasion, the crowd grew to 13,092. However, it wasn’t until a week later, during a game against Osasuna, that Isaac truly made an impression. With a skilled chest control, quick turn, and perfectly executed shot, he scored to the excitement of the 36,640 fans in attendance. This past Saturday, after an intense 85 minutes on the pitch against Real Sociedad, Isaac left the Sánchez Pizjuán stadium to a standing ovation and chants of his name from the fans, who had unexpectedly found a new hero in him.

Things have changed for him and for them. In December, Isaac played his second to last game for Sevilla Atlético, the club’s subsidiary team. Just two days before, the first team had lost to Mallorca, making it their ninth consecutive game without a victory. A week later, they suffered another loss to Getafe, dropping to 17th place in the standings, tied with the 18th team. Isaac’s final game for Sevilla Atlético was against El Palo in January. Just five days later, he made his first appearance for the first team against Alavés, scoring two goals in the cup match against Getafe, another goal against Girona, his memorable goal against Osasuna in his home debut, and the game-winning goal against Atlético Madrid. He still couldn’t play the full 90 minutes, but he had managed to score five goals and provide one assist in his first seven games.

Last Saturday, he once again assisted in Sevilla’s victory against Real Sociedad, solidifying a seven-point lead from the bottom three and almost guaranteeing their survival. Despite their winless streak of 10 games, they have only lost once in their last six matches, against Real Madrid. In a recent report by Diario de Sevilla, the player who was relatively unknown just a month ago is now considered the “heart and soul” of the team. He possesses a natural talent for scoring and brings an unrefined quality to the game. He looks up to Diego Costa as his idol and plays aggressively, leaving everything on the field until he can no longer give any more. According to his coach Quique Sánchez Flores, he sets an example for the entire team and inspires them to improve their performance. He is a role model for them to follow.

The journey to success has not been straightforward for Isaac, who is not your typical young player. Despite being only 23 years old, he comes from a family of footballers and has proven to be too talented for the Segunda B league.

It was impossible to predict this outcome. This applies to both Isaac and everyone else. If Isaac had gotten his wish this summer, he would likely be competing in the second tier league; additionally, if there had not been complications with paperwork during the winter and the team had successfully recruited a striker, he would probably still be playing in the fourth division. This situation is another example of overcoming challenges and the role of luck, whether positive or negative, in the world of football.

Romero was born in Lebrija, a town with a population of 27,432 people, located 60km (37 miles) south of Seville. His grandparents had relocated there in the late 1970s, when the marshes on the left bank of the Guadalquivir River were drained for agricultural purposes. He continues to reside in Lebrija. His father, Antonio, was a former player for Atlético Sanluqueño and made it to the second division with Xerez. He now works as a kit man for local team Atlético Antoniano. Isaac’s mother, Macarena, manages the bar at the club. Isaac also played for Atlético Antoniano, helping them achieve promotion from the regional Andaluza division to the tercera division in Spain. This season, he faced them in Segunda B, losing 2-0 and failing to score. He has since scored goals against Girona and Atlético and has even played at the Bernabéu.

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When he assisted Antoniano in taking Antoniano up, Isaac had travelled to Sevilla and Cádiz and returned. As a youth, he joined Sevilla but left when they changed to 11-a-side. He spent 18 months at Cádiz, but it was not successful due to the distance from home. At 19, he returned to play for Antoniano where his coach, Francisco José Cordero, saw him grow and develop and switched him to play as a centre-forward. Cordero had confidence in Isaac’s abilities and reached out to Sevilla. Carlos Marchena, an assistant coach at Sevilla Atlético, not only watched Isaac play, but also participated in training sessions at 39 years old and after retiring from professional football. Marchena pushed Isaac to his limits during these sessions and, by the end, was also convinced of Isaac’s potential.

Isaac, aged 19, started off playing regional and amateur football before joining Sevilla C in 2018. He eventually progressed to the B team but faced challenges due to shoulder problems and a broken leg. He joined the first team in preseason this year, but his coach, José Luis Mendilibar, sought a more experienced and professional player. As Romero was already 23, it was not possible for him to move between the first team and the B team. Therefore, Sevilla signed Mariano Díaz instead of Romero. Unfortunately, there were no remaining spots available on the squad.

Isaac was almost ready to permanently leave the team, as second division Albacete expressed interest in him. However, Sevilla’s sporting director, Victor Orta, persuaded both him and his father to stay and have patience. Despite this, during the winter transfer window, manager Flores openly expressed his lack of confidence in strikers Mariano and Rafa Mir who only have a combined five league starts and two goals. With the departure of Fernando, there was an opportunity to add another player, but it didn’t seem like Isaac would be the one.

Fortune played a role in this situation. Boavista’s transfer of Robert Bozenik fell through, even though he had already passed a medical exam. The attempt to acquire David Datro Fofana, which seemed to be finalized, also failed because Chelsea had reached their quota for foreign loans. However, these were not the only deals that could not be completed. Mir and Mariano were still present, but their lack of playing time showed that they were not meeting the team’s standards. According to Flores, some players interpreted demands differently, causing issues. Additionally, Youssef En-Nesyri was participating in the Africa Cup of Nations, Lucas Ocampos had to play as a false 9, and the team was facing a crisis. Eventually, during the 26th minute against Alavés, everything came to a head.

A fresh up-and-coming star had arrived, although he had been around all this time.

“We didn’t find anyone, but we observed the children during training and made our selection. That’s all,” Flores explains. “I admire Isaac because he follows our instructions diligently. He brings so much energy to the team. We’re grateful to have him with us, and his humility makes him even more special. He sets an example of humility for the whole group. It’s heartwarming to see young individuals like him. We were once young as well. The coach may provide an opportunity, but it’s up to the players to seize it. They are truly remarkable.”

“He has brought a new level of motivation to Sevilla; the team was in need of it and it has spread to everyone,” stated former manager Joaquín Caparrós. Diego Simeone acknowledges that he possesses all the qualities a coach desires. Even Spain’s manager, Luis de la Fuente, has expressed his admiration for him, stating that he is a player he holds in high regard. This sentiment is shared by all. En-Nesyri revealed this weekend that life with Isaac is smooth sailing for everyone, especially for him. Thanks to their strong partnership, formed after the Moroccan’s return from Afcon, one headline summed it up perfectly on Sunday morning: “Sevilla’s striking pair is unstoppable!”

According to midfielder Óliver Torres, Isaac is not only a talented player, but also a great teammate, a good person, extremely modest, and works very hard. In the end, he is being rewarded for his qualities. He has been patiently waiting for his opportunity and is now making a valuable contribution to our team. We hope he continues to do so for a long time. Every time he scores, we will be there to show our support and happiness. He has truly impressed everyone with his abilities.

Most people were aware, except for a select few who noticed Isaac Romero on their screens back in December.

Source: theguardian.com