Key Takeaways:
- Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez were both booked in Argentina’s 2-1 semi-final victory over England in Atlanta
- Romero and Martinez have started five of Argentina’s six World Cup matches this summer, conceding six goals and keeping two clean sheets together
- Argentina will compete in their second consecutive World Cup final against Spain on Sunday
Defensive Partnership Responds to Public Scrutiny
Cristian Romero, a key figure in Argentina’s back line, has directly addressed criticism from former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville regarding his partnership with Lisandro Martinez. Prior to Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 victory over England in the World Cup semi-final, Neville, now a broadcaster for ITV and Sky, labelled the duo as “the best, worst centre-half pairing in the world”.
Both Romero and Martinez, aged 28, played pivotal roles on Wednesday in Atlanta, not only receiving yellow cards during the contentious contest but also being instrumental in restricting England to just two shots on target. Argentina overturned a deficit with late goals, securing their place in the World Cup final for the second consecutive tournament under Lionel Scaloni’s leadership.
🚨🗣️ 𝗡𝗘𝗪: Cuti Romero on Gary Neville mocking the Romero-Lisandro centre-back duo before the game:
"We played today with a bit MORE ANGER because of that…. I send Neville a BIG HUG!"
"I just hope that when I retire, I'm not as STUPID as Gary Neville. I won't criticize… pic.twitter.com/QCRYFFdzot
— The Touchline | 𝐓 (@TouchlineX) July 16, 2026
Romero and Martinez’s Defensive Record This Tournament
The Argentine centre-backs have been regular starters throughout the competition, lining up together in five out of the team’s six World Cup fixtures this summer. Their partnership has so far yielded two clean sheets, with the side conceding a total of six goals when both have been present in the starting eleven.
Player Reactions to Neville’s Comments
When questioned about Neville’s remarks, Tottenham defender Romero told DSports: “The only thing that I hope for is that when I retire, I am not that stupid. Hopefully I won’t criticise a player or anyone. 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.
“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.”
Lisandro Martinez also commented: “We’re used to people always talking about us. It seems like they like doing it, and we respond on the pitch, that’s it, always with respect.”
Neville’s Assessment on the Overlap Podcast
Neville, who earned 85 caps for England and offered his evaluations on the Overlap Podcast, stated: “They seem to give a goal away between them every single game. But you watch them, they are scoring goals, heading the ball, they’re literally everywhere – it’s incredible.
“I call them the best, worst centre-half pairing in the world. Because they absolutely at times can be unbelievable, but the next, it’s the sublime to the ridiculous.”
Upcoming World Cup Showdowns
Argentina will aim to capture their fourth World Cup title when they face Spain in Sunday’s final. England, meanwhile, are set to meet France in the third-place play-off on Saturday.
