Argentina defender Cristian Romero has hit back at Gary Neville after the former England international questioned his central defensive partnership with Lisandro Martinez ahead of the World Cup semi-final against England.
Neville had described the Argentina duo as inconsistent despite recognising their quality, suggesting they were capable of outstanding performances but also prone to costly defensive mistakes.
Argentina answered those doubts on the pitch by defeating England 2-1 in Atlanta to secure a place in a second successive World Cup final. Romero and Martinez were both booked in a physical contest, but they helped restrict England to just two shots on target as Lionel Scaloni’s side came from behind with two late goals.
Speaking after the match, Romero criticised Neville’s remarks, saying he hopes never to become the type of retired player who publicly judges active footballers. He stressed that Argentina’s players are fully committed to representing their country and said reaching another World Cup final is a historic achievement for the squad.
Martinez also dismissed the criticism, saying the team has grown accustomed to outside opinions and prefers to respond through its performances rather than words.
Romero and Martinez, both 28, have been first-choice centre-backs throughout the tournament, starting together in all but one of Argentina’s six matches. During those games, Argentina have kept two clean sheets and conceded six goals.
Neville made his assessment on The Overlap podcast before the semi-final, arguing that the pair combine exceptional ability with moments of defensive vulnerability.
Argentina will now face Spain in Sunday’s World Cup final as they attempt to win the competition for a fourth time. England, meanwhile, will take on France in Saturday’s third-place play-off.