| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Manuel Romero Santiago | ||
| Date of birth | April 9, 2009 | ||
| Place of birth | Raleigh, North Carolina, United States | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Real Madrid CF | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2014–2015 | CP Mijas-Las Lagunas | ||
| 2015–2021 | Málaga CF | ||
| 2021– | Real Madrid CF | ||
| International career‡ | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023 | Uruguay U15 | 2 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | United States U15 | 5 | (1) |
| 2025 | United States U17 | 2 | (0) |
| ‡ National team caps and goals as of 14 October 2025 | |||
Manuel Romero Santiago (born 9 April 2009) is a soccer player who plays as a defender for Real Madrid CF. Born in the United States, he represents Uruguay at international level.
Romero was born on 9 April 2009. Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States, he is the son of Uruguay international Marcelo Romero. [1]
As a youth player, Romero joined the youth academy of Spanish side CP Mijas-Las Lagunas. [2] Following his stint there, he joined the youth academy of Spanish side Málaga CF in 2015.
During the summer of 2021, he joined the youth academy of Spanish La Liga side Real Madrid CF. [3]
Romero is a Uruguay and United States youth international. On 14 October 2025, he debuted for the United States men's national under-17 soccer team during a 2–0 friendly away win over the Northern Ireland national under-17 football team.
Romero plays as a defender. American news website US Soccer Collective wrote in 2025 that he "is a dynamic wide player with a lethal left foot, combining final-third instincts, one-on-one creativity, and impressive composure under pressure". [4]