Ange Postecoglou responds to Lionel Messi’s claims on ‘The World Best Defender’
Ange Postecoglou responds to Messi’s claims about Messi’s claim about Tottenham Star defender
The “best defender in the world right now,” according to Lionel Messi, is Cristian Romero of Argentina and Tottenham.
Cristian Romero, a member of Tottenham Hotspur and a fellow Argentina teammate, was recently referred to by Lionel Messi as the “best defender in the world right now.” Ange Postecoglou, the manager of Tottenham, has addressed Messi’s assertions. Regarding Romero’s defensive skills, Postecoglou stated that he “wouldn’t argue” with Messi. I wouldn’t dispute with Messi, the Spurs head coach said in a statement to talkSPORT. You know what, I wouldn’t want to compete against Romero. The majority of the boys dislike practicing with him. He’s a true competitor, which I adore about him. What you see is what you get with Romero, whether it’s a game or practice session.
In August 2021, Romero had finished moving to Tottenham after first joining them on loan from Serie A team Atalanta. A year later, he signed a long-term contract to play with the Premier League team. Romero has played more than 60 times for the Lilywhites thus far in all types of competitions. The 25-year-old center back received criticism for his lack of an outstanding performance last season when Ryan Mason, Cristian Stellini, and Antonio Conte were in charge. In the 2022–23 Premier League season, the London-based team could only manage an eighth-place result.
Cristian Romero has been absolutely amazing in international football. Romero led Argentina to Copa America triumph in 2021. He played a significant role in helping Argentina win the 2017 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Romero is now preoccupied with Argentina’s quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. In the opening 2026 World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador, he assisted La Albiceleste in maintaining a clean sheet. In the 78th minute of the match versus Ecuador, Messi scored the only goal.
Messi heaped Romero with praise after the game. “Romero, in my opinion, is currently the best defender in the world. He performed admirably, and he was, in my opinion, the player of the game. The finest thing that could possibly happen to me is having him behind me. He constantly pushes me forward since he prefers to play one on one with his opponent. For an attacking player, I have gotten used to not looking behind me, and it is very beneficial, the Inter Miami star told Telemundo.
Romero now has 25 caps for Argentina. He also participated in Argentina’s match against Bolivia in the second World Cup qualifying round. The defending World Cup champions had little issue defeating Bolivia despite not having Messi in the starting lineup. Argentina won easily 3-0 thanks to goals from Nico Gonzalez, Nicolas Tagliafico, and Enzo Fernandez.
