Argentina is heading to the World Cup semifinals, and Lisandro Martinez is a big reason why. The Manchester United defender put in another rock-solid shift Saturday as the reigning champions outlasted Switzerland 3-1 in extra time.
It wasn’t pretty. Switzerland came out aggressive and actually looked like the better team for stretches. Argentina got an early goal from Alexis Mac Allister in the 10th minute, but the Swiss kept pushing. Dan Ndoye finally broke through in the 67th minute to tie it up. Then Breel Embolo got himself sent off with a second yellow for diving five minutes later, which felt like it should’ve swung the game Argentina’s way. It didn’t.
Switzerland dragged the champs into extra time and held them scoreless through the first 15 minutes. But Julian Alvarez broke their hearts in the 112th minute with an absolute banger, and Lautaro Martinez iced it in stoppage time.
Through all of that, Martinez was quietly excellent. The guy they call The Butcher finished with 97 touches, completed 84% of his passes, and won nine of his 12 duels. He made four tackles, two clearances, and an interception. Nobody dribbled past him. Not once. He also had a wild acrobatic shot on target and completed three dribbles, tied with Lionel Messi for the game high.
For a guy who tore his ACL in February 2025 and missed most of the first half of last season, Martinez has bounced back in a big way. He was a key piece of United’s third-place finish in the Premier League, and he’s carried that form into this World Cup. He’s started five of Argentina’s six games, helped keep clean sheets in the first two group matches, and held his own against Cabo Verde and Egypt in the knockout rounds.
Now Argentina gets England in the semis Wednesday at Atlanta Stadium. That’s a monster matchup. And Martinez’s performance against Switzerland just reinforced why United needs to lock him down. He’s entering the final year of his contract, and INEOS has to be thinking about an extension. His fitness history is a real concern — that ACL injury wiped out almost half a season — but when he’s healthy, he’s one of the most reliable defenders in the game.
For now, Martinez has a semifinal to worry about. England won’t be as forgiving as a shorthanded Swiss side. But based on what he showed Saturday, Argentina’s back line is in good hands.
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