Rubén Omar Romano

Lore & Background

Romano played in Argentina for Club Atlético Huracán before leaving for Mexico in 1980 to play for Club América. He played in seven other Mexican clubs: León, Necaxa, Puebla, Querétaro, Cruz Azul, Atlante, and Veracruz. He was a left footed player with a great talent for free kicks as well as an extraordinary playmaker. His best times were in León and Atlante. He retired as a player at Atlante after the 1994–1995 season and scored 2 goals in his last game (Atlante 6-6 Puebla). In total, Romano scored 102 goals in the Mexican Football League. He is listed among the 100 best scorers of all time in Mexico.

Reader's Guide

Romano became assistant coach for Ricardo La Volpe of Club Atlas in the same year he retired. He also worked as a coach for Celaya, Tecos, Morelia, Pachuca, and Cruz Azul. With Pachuca, he qualified for the Copa Libertadores. Cruz Azul qualified for the Mexican playoffs in Romano's first season with the team, but lost to rivals América.

Romano has qualified for the playoffs on six occasions for different teams. He was kidnapped on July 19, 2005, near Xochimilco, in Mexico City by Omar Sandoval Orihuela, and rescued on September 21, 2005, after 65 days. Replacing him in the interim was Isaac Mizrahi Smeke. Romano returned to work a few days after his release.

He was relieved of his duties with Cruz Azul on December 9, 2005, after coaching eleven matches (two wins, three draws, five losses). Afterwards, he was hired by Atlas and ended the regular season in last place. He was named head coach of Club América on February 18, 2008, and resigned on April 30, 2008, after a 4–2 loss to Flamengo in the Copa Libertadores. He was presented as head coach of Santos Laguna on December 5, 2009, and ceased to coach them on February 20, 2011.

On August 14, 2013, he replaced Manuel Lapuente at Puebla. On September 19, 2016, he was reported to have accepted the managerial position for CF America, but the offer was retracted due to fan backlash.