For an England Idol, Cuti Romero and Lisandro Martínez 'Give Away a Goal in Every Game'

Former England defender Gary Neville has ignited controversy with his assessment of Argentine center-backs Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martínez, labeling them the "best and worst center-back pairing in the world." Neville's critique, shared on the podcast 'The Overlap,' suggests that the duo "give away a goal in every game" between them, a bold claim ahead of England's upcoming World Cup semifinal clash with Argentina.

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between the two of them, they give away a goal in every game.

Neville's analysis presented a stark dichotomy, acknowledging the defenders' significant contributions while simultaneously highlighting their perceived flaws. "I don't see how we don't score at least two goals. You have Romero and Lisandro Martínez who seem to give away a goal in every game between them," he stated. However, he quickly pivoted, noting their impressive offensive capabilities and defensive prowess: "Then you see them again, and they are scoring goals, winning all the headers, and are literally all over the place."

The former Manchester United star elaborated on this inconsistency, describing it as a perplexing phenomenon. "Something happens to them when they put on that shirt. It's incredible. It's what I call the best and worst center-back pairing in the world: sometimes they are absolutely incredible, but other times they go from the sublime to the ridiculous," Neville asserted. This assessment comes as Romero and Martínez have solidified their starting roles under coach Lionel Scaloni, contributing crucial goals and strong performances, including in Argentina's recent 3-2 victory over Cape Verde.

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Then you see them again, and they are scoring goals, winning all the headers, and are literally all over the place.

Neville further speculated on the semifinal match, predicting that England should aim to score three goals against Argentina, even then suggesting they might need penalties to secure a win. He anticipates a high-scoring affair, with both teams finding the net multiple times, acknowledging Argentina's resilience: "I can see us winning 3-1 and them scoring two goals in the last five minutes because they never give up."

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It's what I call the best and worst center-back pairing in the world: sometimes they are absolutely incredible, but other times they go from the sublime to the ridiculous.