Argentina World Cup winner Angel Di Maria has supported Lionel Scaloni’s decision to give Cristian Romero the captain’s armband as Lionel Messi is set to play his final game for his country.
La Albiceleste are set to enter a new era after Messi announced his retirement from international football last month.
The five-time World Footballer of the Year was able to lead Argentina to two World Cup finals, winning one.
The 39-year-old will officially make his final bow in his Argentina career in next month’s friendly against Benin.
As Argentina’s long-time captain, Messi’s retirement decision left Scaloni with the tough task of choosing a successor.
The Argentina head coach eventually chose Romero to take over the captain’s role from the Inter Miami star.
Di Maria, who was part of Argentina’s World Cup-winning campaign in 2022, has now publicly backed Romero for the role, insisting the Atletico Madrid defender deserves it.
Inn an interview with Mundo Albicelest, the former Real Madrid attackere, said the former Tottenham Hotspur player deserves thehonorr of leading his country.
“He deserves it. I think it’s a great choice by Scaloni and the coaching staff. He deserves it because he’s a great guy. He has a great temperament to carry the armband, and I’m sure he’ll do a great job,” he added.
He also expressed his excitement that fans continue to back the national team,, which brings the players excitement.
Romero’s selection became a topic of discussion because of the issues at his former club,, which he left this summer. His time at Tottenham ended with doubts over his commitment and the club’s close call with relegation.
However, he is undoubtedly a respected figure in the Argentina set-up, having made 58 international appearances for the side.
The 28-year-old has international experience, and still has plenty of years ahead of him in an Argentina shirt, making it a long-term captaincy appointment rather than a stop-gap solution.
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