Former Tottenham skipper Cristian Romero, who joined Atletico Madrid in August, said Argentina entered the World Cup quarter-final against England with a battered lineup.
Romero told Los Edul that the team faced "several of us barely made it, like me" and listed injuries to Lea Paredes (rib fracture), Lautaro Martínez (tendon injury), Nahuel Molina, Nicolás Tagliafico, and Dibu Martínez (broken finger). He added he thanked manager Lionel Scaloni for keeping him in the squad.
The Three Lions led 1-0 and were close to reaching their first final since 1966 before Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez turned the game around in the closing minutes.
After the victory, Argentina celebrated on the pitch with a banner that read "The Falklands are Argentine".
Romero, who was substituted in the 70th minute, said his fitness worsened after the England match, stating he could not train properly before the final, relied on pills and an injection, and felt angry playing under those conditions.
Despite the claim, Argentina's final against Spain featured only 32 percent possession and no shots on target.
