" Messi is a simple and humble person. He is very ordinary, and that is why he is so great."
From the old boy to Manchester United , the most valuable defender in Argentina's history
Lisandro Martinez was born on January 18, 1998. In 2002, he entered the Urquiza youth team, and in 2006 he switched to the Libertad youth team. Until 2014, he joined the Newell's Old Boys youth training camp that he had dreamed of for a long time, and became brothers with Messi.
In the 2016-17 season, Lisandro Martinez got the opportunity to play in the official game of Newell's Old Boys, but this was also his last game at Newell's Old Boys. In August 2017, he was loaned to the Defense and Justice Team and spent two years there.
In 2019, 20-year-old Lisandro Martinez was spotted by Ajax , and eventually transferred to Ajax for 7 million euros and became Ajax's main defender. During his three years at Ajax, he won two Eredivisie championships, a Dutch Cup championship and a Dutch Super Cup championship for the team. And he was awarded the team's best player in the 2021-22 season when won the championship.
In 2022, joined Manchester United with a basic transfer fee of 57.37 million euros and a floating transfer fee of 10 million euros. He also became the most valuable defender in Argentina's history.
The super substitute stabilizes the defense, Argentina’s iron-blooded heritage
In 2019, Lisandro Martinez was called up by the Argentine national team for the first time. In 2021, he was successfully selected for the Argentina national team's squad for the America's Cup, and got a starting opportunity in the fifth round of the group stage. In the end, he only got the chance to perform in this one performance, but he had no choice but to win the America's Cup with the team.
In the European and American Super Cup games before the 2022 World Cup, he continued to travel with the team as a substitute and once again won the European and American Super Cup championship.
At the 2022 Qatar World Cup , he once again traveled with the team as a substitute. And got the chance to start in the group stage with Mexico and the quarter-finals with the Netherlands. Although he performed well, because the combination of defenders tested the tacit understanding of cooperation, Lisandro Martinez also never got a chance to play. In the end, he won the Hercules Cup with the team on the bench.
Argentina’s iron-blooded spirit has been passed down from generation to generation, and Lisandro Martinez is one of the inheritors. He has a fierce playing style and is extremely brave on the court. Although he is only 1.75 meters tall, he cannot gain aerial advantage. However, it is precisely because of his height that he has a low center of gravity and extremely fast speed. In addition, he has a high golf quotient and stable and ruthless skills at his feet. He is not afraid of physical confrontation when facing any opponent. He is nicknamed "The Butcher" by fans for his tough style.
The "butcher" is not scary. What is scary is a calm and wise "butcher". Lisandro Martinez often relies on his own thinking to make correct decisions on how to defend during confrontations, and makes very few mistakes. This shows that he is extremely calm and will not commit reckless fouls easily, which is especially important for a defender.
"My dream since childhood has been to participate in the World Cup. When I got the first Argentina jersey in my life, I wore it and played football in the streets, dreaming of participating in the World Cup. When I actually participate in the World Cup, I think my family and fans will be proud of me." - Lisandro Martinez
