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Lionel Messi has proclaimed Cristian Romero to be the best defender in the world after his superb performance for Argentina against Ecuador.
La Abiceleste kickstarted their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign with a 1-0 win. Messi's sublime 78th-minute free-kick separated the two sides at the Estadio das Monumental on Thursday (September 7) night.
However, it was Romero's defensive display that caught the eye as he was paramount in the victory. The Tottenham Hotspur defender made seven tackles, and one clearance and won seven of eight ground duels.
His Argentina captain Lionel Messi was full of praise for him following the win against Ecuador. He said (via SPORTbible):
“For me, he is the best defender in the world right now. Amazing performance tonight, man of the match.”
Romero has made a similarly impressive start to Tottenham's campaign. He has played four times, helping Spurs keep two clean sheets. The 25-year-old even scored a stunning strike in a 5-2 win over Burnley and a header in a 2-2 draw with Brentford.
He was also vital for Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, helping Lionel Messi win the tournament for the first time in his career. He made seven appearances, contributing towards two clean sheets.
Lionel Messi urged Barcelona to sign Cristian Romero before he joined Tottenham
According to The Athletic, Lionel Messi wanted his former club Barcelona to sign Romero back in 2021. However, the Blaugrana were not able to afford him and he joined Tottenham from Serie A side Atalanta for €50 million.
Romero touched on this shortly after he sealed a move to Spurs and Messi headed to Paris Saint-Germain. He said (via GOAL):
"The fact that Messi would want me in his team, and that he wanted me to come to Barcelona is amazing."
The Spurs center-back added that he was sad with the way his Argentina captain left Barca. The Catalan giants' financial issues meant they were unable to afford a new contract for the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner:
"The team that PSG have built is crazy. I'm a bit sad about how Leo left Barcelona, I thought he would have stayed there forever. I wish him all the best, he's a great person and hopefully he can win everything alongside the other Argentinians there."
Romero has since been a mainstay in Tottenham's side, making 68 appearances across competitions, scoring three goals and providing one assist. He has also earned 23 caps for Argentina, part of the side that won both the World Cup last year and the Copa America in 2021.
