According to a report by Manchester Evening News on Thursday July 16, 2026, Lisandro Martinez received mixed but generally positive reviews from the Argentine media after helping his country secure a 2-1 victory over England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final.
Argentina came from behind to book their place in the final after Anthony Gordon gave England the lead in the second half. Enzo Fernandez restored parity before Lautaro Martinez scored the decisive goal to send the reigning world champions into another World Cup final.
Martinez started at centre-back alongside Cristian Romero and played 73 minutes before being replaced by Nicolas Otamendi as Argentina protected their advantage.
Following the match, several Argentine media outlets published their player ratings, with the Manchester United defender earning an average score of 6/10.
Pagina 12 awarded Martinez a 6/10 rating, noting that he found it difficult to deal with England captain Harry Kane in aerial battles. However, the publication also pointed out that Kane was unable to make a significant impact on the outcome of the match.
TyC Sports also gave the defender a 6/10, praising his work on the ground despite acknowledging that he faced challenges in the air during the contest.
El Sol handed Martinez another 6/10 rating, describing it as a relatively straightforward performance before he was substituted in the second half.
La Pagina Millonaria was slightly more critical, awarding the Argentine defender a 5/10. While the outlet praised his passing ability, it suggested he was not as dependable as he had been in Argentina’s previous matches during the tournament.
Despite the varied assessments, Martinez is widely expected to retain his place in Lionel Scaloni’s starting line-up for the World Cup final against Spain.
Argentina will now face Spain in the World Cup final, with Martinez hoping to help his country retain the trophy and add another major honour to his international career.
