adminGary Neville has heaped praise on Cristian Romero—but not for his defending.
Argentina pulled off one of the most dramatic comebacks in World Cup history, overturning a 2-0 deficit against Egypt to win 3-2. All three of their goals came in a blistering 14-minute stretch late in the game, leaving the Egyptians stunned.
Romero, as ever, was right in the thick of things. The Tottenham defender sparked the revival with a header in the 79th minute—his second goal of the tournament. And it’s that attacking edge that has clearly caught Neville’s attention.
Neville lauds Romero’s relentless spirit
Speaking after Argentina’s thrilling win at Atlanta Stadium, Neville singled out Romero and defensive partner Lisandro Martínez for their never-say-die attitude.
The Manchester United legend labelled them the “best worst centre-backs in the world,” pointing out their knack for conceding soft goals but also their remarkable ability to deliver at the other end when it matters most.
On ITV’s post-match coverage, Neville said:
“You watch Romero and Martínez—they’re the best ‘worst centre-halves’ in the world. They give goals away constantly, but they don’t care because they’ll score at the other end. They’ve got massive personalities and they just keep going.”
He added: “At that stage, you think Argentina are hanging on for dear life. They’re fighting for their lives, and Romero is right in the middle of that comeback. Why is he there? You always ask: why is Martínez scoring in the last game? Why is Romero scoring there? Because they never give in—they fight, and fight, and fight.”
Tottenham fans need no reminding of Romero’s threat in attack. Last season, the centre-back chipped in with six goals and four assists for the Lilywhites.
admin
