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Rob DawsonCorrespondent
DOHA, Qatar -- When it comes to winning radical over, it doesn't instrumentality Lisandro Martinez long. After Manchester United began their play with back-to-back defeats to Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford, it started a statement astir whether, astatine 5-foot-9, helium was gangly capable to marque it arsenic a Premier League centre-back. Yet by the extremity of August, helium was named United's subordinate of the month.
Then, having arrived successful Qatar with an Argentina squad tipped arsenic 1 of the favourites to triumph the World Cup, Martinez was near connected the seat for their archetypal crippled against Saudi Arabia. Following a daze 2-1 defeat, helium was picked to commencement the 2nd crippled against Mexico, and aft an awesome show successful a 2-0 triumph that has breathed caller beingness into their campaign, helium should support his spot for the important last radical fixture against Poland connected Wednesday.
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Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni, erstwhile of West Ham United, has developed a estimation for keeping religion with a trusted radical of players, truthful overmuch truthful that his squad person been nicknamed "La Scaloneta" successful his honour.
Revered astatine location for ending a 28-year drought astatine large championships by lifting the Copa America successful 2021, Scaloni's decisions are seldom questioned, but Martinez's signifier astatine Old Trafford prompted isolated calls for him to beryllium included against Saudi Arabia astatine the disbursal of either Tottenham Hotspur's Cristian Romero oregon erstwhile Manchester City centre-back Nicolas Otamendi. Argentina fans were blessed to judge Scaloni's penchant to commencement with Romero and Otamendi, but present that Martinez is successful -- helium replaced Romero aft 59 minutes, conscionable six minutes aft Saudi Arabia scored their 2nd extremity -- determination is small question that helium should enactment there.
He has been liable for 1 of Argentina's iconic moments successful Qatar by taking a footwear successful the look from Mexico guardant Hirving Lozano and past walking disconnected similar it was nothing. It is the benignant of committedness Argentina fans bask astir arsenic overmuch arsenic a Lionel Messi goal.
Scaloni responded to the decision to Saudi Arabia by ditching his accustomed program and making 5 changes against Mexico, but Argentina fans privation to spot different erstwhile the XI is announced to look Poland, with the inclusion of Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
The 21-year-old's instauration disconnected the seat successful the 57th infinitesimal against Mexico was the catalyst for Argentina to instrumentality power of a scrappy game. First, helium was progressive successful the determination that saw Messi score, and past recovered the nett himself with a onslaught curled into the apical country to enactment their triumph beyond doubt. The anticipation is that if there's a alteration against Poland, it volition impact Fernandez alternatively than dropping Martinez for Romero, who was mediocre against Saudi Arabia and is struggling to shingle disconnected a musculus injury.
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Much of Scaloni's occurrence with Argentina has been enactment down to his quality to foster a squad tone that has been missing astatine different tournaments, and helium was keen to manus Martinez his archetypal planetary call-up successful 2019 arsenic overmuch for his quality arsenic thing else. At United, Martinez is viewed arsenic being arsenic important disconnected the transportation arsenic helium is connected it.
Man United manager Erik Ten Hag wanted a left-footed centre-back successful the summertime to springiness his defence much balance, but Martinez has besides been cardinal successful bringing immoderate bid to the dressing room. Sources person told ESPN that helium makes a constituent of eating with antithetic relationship groups wrong the United squad to guarantee cliques don't develop, and helium volition question retired players who person made a mistake oregon those who aren't playing to marque definite they are not near connected their own.
Martinez has besides been credited with Alejandro Garnacho's improvement this play aft taking the teen nether his wing. He's described arsenic Garnacho's "big brother" successful the dressing country and has helped the guardant go much nonrecreational aft moving into disciplinary problems during the preseason circuit of Thailand and Australia by missing squad meetings.
Sources person told ESPN that Martinez is the subordinate everyone wants connected their squad for the small-sided games astatine the extremity of grooming and is furious afterwards if helium doesn't win. When helium flies into challenges, different players volition respond with shouts of "the butcher" -- a notation to a nickname helium picked up astatine Ajax -- and often laughter astir however he's managed to make a hard-man representation contempt being highly polite and reserved distant from football.
"He brings a South American spirit," said Ten Hag, after Martinez's €57.37m signing was confirmed successful July. "It is aggressiveness but besides control."
He is already a cult leader astatine Old Trafford, and ferocious tackles are greeted with chants of "Argentina, Argentina." After helium was substituted astatine half-time during United's 4-0 decision to Brentford successful August -- a show that prompted erstwhile Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher to accidental helium was "convinced" Martinez couldn't play arsenic a cardinal defender successful the Premier League -- the 24-year-old has been cardinal to the revival nether Ten Hag. And, since his instauration successful Qatar, Argentina person gone from facing a humiliating aboriginal exit to reestablishing themselves arsenic genuine World Cup contenders.
Ahead of the tourney -- Messi's past -- determination was a consciousness that Argentina would triumph it for their iconic No.10 alternatively than due to the fact that of him. If it happens, and Messi does bow retired with the trophy successful hand, he'll person players similar Martinez to thank.
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