Manchester United centre-back Lisandro Martinez was feeling the love from team-mate Alejandro Garnacho both at home and abroad after another impressive performance for Argentina this week.
Martinez scored in the Copa America quarter-final against Ecuador but missed the winner when Kevin Rodriguez equalised late on. The World Cup winners eventually advanced to the semi-finals on penalties, where Lionel Messi was the only player to miss a shot from 12 yards in a 4-2 shootout victory.
After the match, Garnacho described Martinez as “the best in the world”, following Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola’s comments after the FA Cup final that “The Butcher” is at least one of the top five defenders in the world. “Lisandro Martinez is a top five centre-back in the world,” the Spaniard said after the match. “He made the difference in the game with his passes that broke through our defence.”
We thought: Men’s Sports How does his ability as a centre-back compare to other players? Here’s what United’s journalists had to say about him:
Read more: Ten Hag’s partnership with United set to be revived after he nearly lost his job
Read more: How United are preparing for Martinez’s return
George Smith
Amidst United’s injury problems last season, no one was more missed than Martinez. The Argentine is arguably the most important player for Erik ten Hag’s style, as evidenced by his performance in the FA Cup final, with Pep Guardiola admitting that his passing ability “made the difference”.
Signed for his ability on the ball, Martinez is one of the best overall players, but is he the best centre-back in the world? Some would argue not, but he’s certainly on the fringe of that position.
But if he remains injury-free this season, he could be in line to take over and maintain the high standards he has set for himself since joining United in 2022. He has been by far Ten Hag’s best player so far.
Jack Flintham
Whether he’s the best defender in the world is up for debate, but there’s no doubt that no one in the world is as essential to United’s squad as Martinez, whatever his position. The departure of the 26-year-old was a huge blow for Ten Hag last season, as the Reds’ defence was seen to be less solid without him in the team.
The FA Cup final win over Manchester City was a testament to the kind of player he is – his work ethic, determination and football intelligence were all on display at Wembley Stadium and few players possess the same combination of qualities.
Martinez will likely be United captain one day and perhaps the best defender in the world, but for now he’s definitely in the top 10.
Kieran Horne
Martinez has been an integral part of the club, as Manchester United’s FA Cup final victory proved, and has also proven that to be the case for Argentina. The 26-year-old has been plagued by injuries over the past 12 months, making just 11 Premier League appearances.
There’s no arguing that Martinez isn’t good, but to be considered one of the best players in the world you need to produce those kinds of performances on a regular basis and sadly he hasn’t managed to do that – and to be honest, it’s arguable that his centre-back partner, Tottenham’s Cristian Romero, is having a better time.
Under manager Ange Postecoglou, the 26-year-old has completely transformed his playing style and become a true leader, and while Martinez can certainly reach that level, Garnacho’s message may be a little premature.
Amy Wilson
The claim of the best player in the world will always be a hot topic among fans and pundits, but it is obviously a subjective matter and everyone will have an opinion. For me, it is difficult to rate Martinez, if only due to the fact that he has had an injury-plagued season.
His return to the team has certainly made an impact, as the Argentine proved in the FA Cup final, and I believe he will need to perform consistently throughout next season to be considered the best player in the world.
Ultimately, isn’t it best to have a player who is always at the highest level? There’s no doubt that Martinez has the talent to do just that.
The 2024/25 season is a big one for the defender and if he can repeat his recent performances this season he could well be in the running – and that would be good news for both United and the Argentina.
Josh Holland
While I rate Martinez highly and think he offers something completely different to other center backs in the world of football, I think it’s too early to discuss him as the “best” player in his position.
Firstly, his injuries over the past 12 months make it almost impossible to consider him one of the best, with better players in the world including Ruben Dias, Virgil van Dijk, William Saliba, Alessandro Bastoni, Eder Militao and Matthijs de Ligt, who has been linked with a move to United.
However, Martinez has shown the ability to prove the critics wrong and has adapted quite well to the Premier League despite his height, and the pairing of him and Cristian Romero complemented each other well, making Tottenham a tougher, more physical team.
Next season is a big one for Martinez, with De Ligt likely to join Ten Hag’s team and the 26-year-old will be desperate to prove why he is so highly rated by Garnacho.
Matthew Abbott
Just a month after Guardiola labelled Martinez one of the top five centre-backs in the world, his club and country team-mate Garnacho goes a step further. It is hard for the City manager and the United winger to argue that the defender is in that conversation.
Martinez may be closer to fifth than first, but his impact on Argentina and United is undeniable. Despite missing most of last season through injury, the defender was quickly inserted into Erik ten Hag’s starting line-up for the Premier League final, before impressing Guardiola in the FA Cup final six days later.
Even more impressive is that Martinez has returned to full fitness and replaced former City defender Nicolas Otamendi as Argentina’s undisputed starter for the Copa America, with club and country now unable to afford to be without one of the best centre-backs in the world.
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