Tottenham were heavily criticised by England supporters after publishing a social media message shortly after the national team’s defeat to Argentina in Wednesday’s World Cup semifinal.
England had moved ahead early in the second half and appeared close to reaching their first World Cup final since 1966. However, Thomas Tuchel’s side conceded twice in seven minutes late in the game, allowing Argentina to complete the comeback and advance to the decisive match.
Spurs criticised for congratulating Argentine players
The fallout from the semifinal has produced several controversial moments. Some Argentina players could face scrutiny from FIFA after displaying a banner connected to the Falkland Islands, while English clubs have also been questioned for publicly supporting their Argentine internationals.
Tottenham were among those targeted after congratulating their Argentina players on reaching the final. The message appeared on the club’s official social media account only minutes after England had been eliminated.
Many supporters considered the timing inappropriate. One fan reminded the account administrator that Tottenham are an English club and accused Spurs of showing little sensitivity towards disappointed England followers.
Liverpool and Chelsea received similar complaints
Tottenham were not the only Premier League club criticised over their social media activity. Liverpool had already angered some England fans before the semifinal by wishing Alexis Mac Allister good luck against the Three Lions.
Chelsea later posted a congratulatory message for Enzo Fernandez after Argentina’s victory. The London club eventually removed the publication following a wave of negative reactions.
The incidents have reopened debate over how English clubs should communicate when their international players face England in major tournament matches.
Romero responds to Gary Neville’s criticism
Cristian Romero was also involved in a public exchange with former Manchester United defender Gary Neville. Neville had described Romero and Lisandro Martinez as the “best, worst centre back pairing in the world”.
After helping Argentina reach a second consecutive World Cup final, Romero responded by saying he hoped he would not become overly critical of players after retiring.
The Tottenham defender explained that footballers always try to give their best for their national teams, even when performances do not go as planned. He added that returning to the World Cup final represented a historic achievement for Argentina and spoke about the importance the players place on wearing the national shirt.
