Argentina defender Cristian Romero has launched a scathing attack on former England international Gary Neville, branding his pre-match comments before the World Cup semi-final as «stupid» after the Three Lions were eliminated from the tournament. The Tottenham Hotspur centre-back did not hold back in his assessment of Neville's analysis, which had suggested that England would struggle to contain Lionel Messi and Argentina's attacking threat.
Romero, who played a key role in Argentina's 2-1 victory over England in the semi-final, expressed his frustration with Neville's remarks, which he felt were disrespectful to the South American side. «Gary Neville said some stupid things before the game,» Romero told reporters after the match. «He doesn't know what he's talking about. We showed on the pitch what we are capable of.»
The comments from Romero come after Neville, a pundit for Sky Sports, had questioned Argentina's ability to handle the pressure of a World Cup semi-final and suggested that England's tactical approach would expose weaknesses in the Argentine defence. Neville's analysis was widely shared on social media, but Romero's response has now shifted the narrative, with many fans and pundits debating the validity of the former Manchester United defender's predictions.
The semi-final itself was a tense affair, with Argentina taking an early lead through a Lionel Messi penalty before England equalised through a Harry Kane strike. However, a second-half goal from Julian Alvarez proved decisive, sending Argentina into the final and ending England's hopes of a first World Cup title since 1966. The defeat was a bitter blow for Gareth Southgate's side, who had been widely tipped to go all the way in the tournament.
Romero's criticism of Neville is not the first time the Argentine has hit out at English pundits. Earlier in the tournament, he had dismissed comments from former England captain Alan Shearer, who had questioned the defensive organisation of the Argentine team. «People like Shearer and Neville talk a lot, but they don't know what it's like to play against us,» Romero added. «We have a great team, and we proved it again tonight.»
The fallout from the semi-final has also seen heated exchanges between Neville and his fellow pundit Roy Keane, with the pair clashing over how England should have handled Messi. Keane argued that England's approach was too cautious, while Neville defended the team's tactics, insisting that Messi's brilliance was simply too much to contain. The row highlighted the deep divisions in English football punditry over the team's performance and future direction.
For Argentina, the victory sets up a final clash with either France or Morocco, as they seek to win the World Cup for the first time since 1986. Messi, who has been in outstanding form throughout the tournament, will be hoping to cap his career with the ultimate prize. Romero, meanwhile, has emerged as a key figure in Argentina's defence, earning praise for his composure and physicality in the heart of the backline.
Neville has yet to respond directly to Romero's comments, but the former England international is likely to face further scrutiny in the coming days. The incident serves as a reminder of the intense emotions and rivalries that define World Cup football, where words spoken before a match can come back to haunt those who utter them.
