Argentina defender Cristian Romero didn't mince words, flat out labeling former Manchester United full-back Gary Neville "stupid" after Neville criticized his center-back partnership with Lisandro Martinez. This wasn't some hushed locker room chat either, Romero dropped the hammer publicly, just hours after Argentina's dramatic 2-1 World Cup semi-final win over England. Talk about a fiery reaction to criticism!
Neville's Wild Criticism and Argentina's Feisty Comeback
Neville, who earned 85 caps for England and now works for ITV and Sky, didn't hold back on the Overlap Podcast. He described Romero, a Tottenham defender, and Martinez, from Manchester United, as "the best, worst centre-half pairing in the world." Neville really leaned into it, saying they "seem to give a goal away between them every single game" and that watching them is like going "from the sublime to the ridiculous." Ouch, right? But here's the thing: while both 28-year-old defenders got booked in Wednesday's feisty last-four match in Atlanta, they were also crucial. They played a significant part in limiting England to only two shots on target as defending champions Argentina clawed back from behind, delivering those clutch late goals for a dramatic 2-1 win. It's tough to call them the "worst" when they're shutting down opponents on the biggest stage! This dynamic duo has started all but one of Argentina's World Cup games this summer, making a clear impact.No Time for 'Stupid' Pundits When You're Making History
Romero fired back when asked about Neville's punditry comments on DSports. "The only thing that I hope for is that when I retire, I am not that stupid," he declared. "Hopefully I won't criticise a player or anyone." He went on to explain, "Because at the end of the day, we are doing our best for our national team. Sometimes it goes right for us, sometimes badly, but we are just happy to be in a World Cup final again." You can feel the passion when he says, "I think we are making history, for us it is something really huge, and we feel the significance of this shirt like no-one else." Martinez, always cool under pressure, echoed that sentiment. "We're used to people always talking about us," Martinez said. "It seems like they like doing it, and we respond on the pitch, that's it, always with respect." And the stats back them up! Together, they've helped Argentina keep two clean sheets in the six World Cup games they've started, even with the team conceding six goals overall. They're clearly getting the job done when it counts. This Argentina squad, fueled by passion and maybe a little bit of external criticism, is now headed to their second successive World Cup final. They'll face Spain on Sunday at 20:00 BST, looking to win the tournament for an incredible fourth time. Meanwhile, England takes on France in the third-place match on Saturday at 22:00. Argentina is on the cusp of history, and with players like Romero and Martinez wearing their hearts on their sleeves, this World Cup final is going to be absolutely wild.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.