Lisandro Martinez Just Dropped a 9/10 World Cup Masterclass. Argentina’s Press Went Wild.

Argentina needed a spark against Cabo Verde. Lisandro Martinez gave them a flamethrower.

The Manchester United defender played his way into the Round of 16 with a goal and an assist in a wild 3-2 win. And if you thought United fans were the only ones hyping him up, the Argentine media just joined the party.

Martinez got a 9/10 from TYC Sports, who basically called him the star of the show. They pointed to a 50-meter assist that landed with surgical precision — a long ball that cracked open a stubborn defense. Then, with the game tied and tension rising, he stepped up and scored a stunner. Unforgettable, they called it.

Ole labeled him a defensive stalwart. Unbeatable, quick, reliable. They even mentioned the awkward moment when the ball went through his legs for Cabo Verde’s equalizer. But they noted he made amends three minutes into extra time by banging home the go-ahead goal. That’s the kind of short memory elite players have.

Not every review was glowing the whole way through. La Pagina Millonaria also gave him a 9/10, but they were honest about the dip. They said he took his eye off the ball during the sequence that led to Cabo Verde’s goal and got caught up in the team’s sluggishness for a stretch. Then he bounced back with an unstoppable strike. That feels like a fair trade.

Clarin focused on something different — his brain. They called him a playmaker playing as a defender, pointing out a pinpoint left-footed pass to Messi, who was basically a playmaker playing as a striker. Messi controlled it with his left foot and buried it top corner. Poetry, basically.

Gaston Edul, the well-known Argentine journalist, kept it simple on X: Martinez was the standout. No debate there.

This kind of form didn’t come out of nowhere. Martinez missed the start of last season with an ACL injury he picked up in 2024. He didn’t get back to full fitness until November. By the second half of the campaign, he was indispensable under Michael Carrick, helping United finish third in the Premier League. That version of him has carried straight into this World Cup.

He’s not just one of Scaloni’s most trusted guys now. He might be one of the hardest to bench. And if Argentina keeps getting performances like this one, they’re going to be a nightmare to face.