Gary Neville reacts to Cristian Romero’s comments after Argentina’s win over England
Gary Neville has shared his thoughts after Cristian Romero’s comments following Argentina’s big win over England in the World Cup semi-final.
Argentina made it to their second World Cup final in a row with another thrilling late comeback. Anthony Gordon gave England the lead by scoring from Morgan Rogers’ perfect cross. But after that 55th-minute goal, Argentina took control. They took advantage of Thomas Tuchel’s decision to switch to a five-man defense.
Enzo Fernandez scored a beautiful curling goal five minutes before the end to tie the game, and then Lautaro Martinez scored in the 92nd minute to complete the comeback. This win sets up an exciting final against Spain.
Argentina showed strong spirit and calmness to come from behind once again in this tournament. This was especially clear with defenders Lisandro Martinez and Cristian Romero. The two tough center-backs played hard and were reliable in defense, disproving Gary Neville who had once called them the “best, worst center-half pairing.”
Earlier this week on The Overlap, Neville said, “I call them the best, worst center-half pairing in the world. Because sometimes they’re amazing, but other times they switch from great to awful.”
Neville also praised their strong mindset, but Romero wasn’t interested in the praise. Instead, he fired back at Neville’s criticism and said it motivated him. “Lisandro and I were fired up before the game because of what Gary Neville said,” Romero said. “People in England love to talk before matches. We send him a big hug… When I retire, I hope I won’t be like him criticizing players. I hope I’m not that silly. At the end of the day, we give our best for our national team.”
Romero promised he won’t criticize players after he retires. Right now, his focus is on helping Argentina beat Spain in Sunday’s final.
When asked about Romero’s words and whether he still stands by his original opinion, Neville told Sky Sports: “They’ve conceded six goals in the knockout rounds, but I did say they are incredible. Those were my exact words. They are full of energy and always try to win games for their country.
“They can be brilliant, but they can also make mistakes. Romero’s team nearly got relegated last season and let in 65 goals, so I know what I’m talking about when I watch a player. He’s very talented, as is Lisandro Martinez, but they do make mistakes and have let in goals. Still, they are a force of nature, very determined, winning many headers in attack and defense.
“Romero has won a World Cup and achieved a lot, but without Lionel Messi — who was incredible in these last two tournaments — we should talk more about him. Argentina didn’t win last night because of the center backs; they won because of a great player, maybe the greatest ever.”
Argentina’s thrilling final against Spain at MetLife Stadium will kick off at 8 pm BST (3 pm local time) on Sunday.