Romero: We will remember '78 & '86 champions

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Argentina's players are summoning inspiration from their heroes of the past as they prepare for their country's most important match for a generation. Sergio Romero, the Monaco keeper who was the hero of the hour in the penalty shoot-out against the Netherlands in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ semi-final, says the team is determined to join those who made history in 1978 and 1986.

It is 24 years since Argentina last made the final, where they were beaten 1-0 by West Germany in tense affair. The shirts will be the same colours again in the Maracana on Sunday: Argentina in navy blue, Germany in white. For Romero, however, the chance to join the icons of the Diego Maradona-inspired team of 1986, of that which triumphed on home soil eight years before, is driving this generation of players on, even if free-scoring Germany are the favourites.

Romero said: "The most important thing is that our team and our country provide the best image in the eyes of the world, that the world will speak well of Argentina. We will remember what the champions of 1978 and 1986 achieved but by we will also try to achieve glory by the fight and heart of this team," he said in Argentina newspaper Clarin.

"Maybe for many people it is not the dream final, because they wanted us to play Brazil, but it will be a fantastic game. They will be very tough opponents, they scored seven goals in the semi-final and they did not have to go to extra time so they have been able to save some energy for the final."

Romero saved two spot-kicks, from Ron Vlaar and Wesley Sneijder, to see Argentina through after the match ended 0-0 after extra-time. The keeper said minds have now been re-focused after euphoria following the match, where clips emerged from the dressing room of the squad singing their fans' anthem 'Brasil decime que se siente' - 'Brazil tell me how it feels' - to the tune of Creedence Clearwater Revival's Bad Moon Rising. "The boys enjoyed it, everyone was shouting and singing in the dressing room, but from the next morning we set our minds on what was coming and how hard it will be to face Germany," he said.

Germany have accounted for Argentina in the last two World Cups, winning the semi-finals in 2006 on penalties and trouncing the South Americans 4-0 in 2010. This time around coach Alejandro Sabella face the dilemma of whether to pick Angel di Maria, who is struggling with a torn thigh muscle. Di Maria has been undergoing stem cell injections to try to speed his recovery and his father was quoted by Clarin as saying the Real Madrid winger is desperate to play even if he has not completely recovered.

Miguel di Maria said: "He has been making short sprints, doing everything ... and he's confident he will make it. I also think he will play in the final, even if it is just for a few minutes."

Romero, Argentina’s accidental hero

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The 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ is not exactly working out the way Argentina fans had expected. Yes, La Albiceleste have reached the last 16 with a game to spare, but the comfortable wins and thrilling attacking play they had hoped for has so far failed to materialise.

Alejandro Sabella’s side clinched their place in the knockout rounds with a hard-fought 1-0 defeat of Iran at a packed Estadio Mineirao on Saturday, a victory that owed much to a superlative performance by Argentinian goalkeeper Sergio Romero.

Speaking to FIFA.com afterwards, the AS Monaco custodian was quick to play down his role and deflect praise on to one Lionel Messi: “I’m happy about my contribution but the only reason we won today thanks to El Enano, who rubbed the lamp and settled the match.”

“Did you see what he did?” said Romero as a winking Messi passed by. “I saw it from the other end of the pitch. It was just one of his typical moves. He cut in from the right and curled it in with his instep. From where I was standing you could see the keeper was nowhere near it. And with these big screens, you get to enjoy it a lot more.”

Answering the doubters
A FIFA U-20 World Cup winner and Olympic champion, the ever-modest Romero has silenced the many critics who questioned his place in Sabella’s side.

“I know I haven’t been playing that much in France but I’ve always set my sights on being ready and in shape whenever I get the call to go to El Predio (Argentina’s training centre).”

The keeper has been true to his word. His outstretched hands helped keep the game goalless when the Iranians threatened time and again on the break in the second half.

“We knew they were going to put everyone behind the ball and that things were going to get tough,” acknowledged Romero, who admitted to experiencing some doubts prior to Messi’s winner. “The hardest save was from the downward header by (Reza) Ghoochannejad because you never know where the ball’s going to go when it bounces. Luckily, I was able to get my hands in the right place.”

Continuing to analyse Argentina’s awkward afternoon, Argentina’s No1 said: “You start to get negative thoughts, don’t you? It looked like we weren’t going to win and that we’d have to start thinking about the Bosnia-Nigeria game and getting the calculator out. But luckily everything worked out and the fans could go away happy.”

Acknowledging the support La Albiceleste have had so far, Romero added: “They’ll be there every time we play. Sometimes they wait outside our training base and sing their songs. We’re working hard to make them happy.”

Before signing off and making his way to the hundreds of cameras and microphones, Romero commented on the yellow shirt he wears on the field of play: “In Brazil of all places. It’s a bit strange, isn’t it?”

Taking his leave, he had a message for Argentina’s army of fans: “Our aim is to be here for 30 days, but we’re not going to talk about the title. The fans should know that we’re going to keep on giving everything we have. We’re not even easing off in the training sessions. Nobody wants to miss them, which is a really good sign.”