Argentina rewrote history as they beat Colombia 1-0 in the final of the Copa America to retain the title, matching Spain as the only other team to win three major tournaments on the bounce.
With this victory, they have now won the 2021 Copa America, followed by the 2022 World Cup and this tournament.
Lisandro Martinez played a crucial role in the victory, especially in the final, with his warrior-like defensive display getting well-deserved plaudits.
The victory set social media ablaze with praise for Argentina and Lisandro Martinez, in particular, was the toast of the footballing world.
Fans react to Lisandro Martinez’s performance
Martinez has always been a player who wears his heart on his sleeve regardless of the opposition or occasion. Still, when the occasion is bigger, he unlocks another level to his game.
That is exactly what happened in the final vs Colombia as he threw himself in front of every shot, flew in for every tackle, and defended like his life depended on it.
Fans took note as one wrote, “Martinez is a beast”, while another called him an “insane player”, saying, “The best defender in the world”. A third went a step further, claiming, “If it wasn’t for injuries, Martinez would win a Ballon d’Or!”.
They were amazed by his ability to squeeze out every last ounce of stamina as he heroically blocked a goal-bound shot in the 110th minute when everyone around him was collapsing.
A fan wrote, “Wow! That is a crazy tackle”, as another wrote, “That was a very serious block, Manchester United are blessed to have him”.
A stat came to light after the win that Argentina didn’t concede a single goal in the tournament when he was on the pitch and that shocked fans even more. They credited his partnership with Christian Romero, dreaming about a similar situation at United, especially if Leny Yoro’s transfer is completed.
One said, “If Leny Yoro committed himself to United, can’t wait to see this pair together!”.
Finally, one fan summed up every United fan’s feeling after the game for Martinez as they wrote, “What a performance, fully earned his holiday. Come back well and rested, GOAT!”.
Martinez makes United tick
Lisandro Martinez’s performance for Argentina is extremely good news for United beyond his world-class displays since his quality was never in question.
The fact he came through such a grueling tournament unscathed will give United hope and encouragement that they can go back to relying on Martinez week-in-week-out.
Add in potential reinforcements to the defence in Matthijs de Ligt, and potentially Leny Yoro, then United’s defence immediately looks above “Challenging for top four” quality.
That is a remarkable turnaround from last season. For once, “like a new signing” is a phrase that can be aptly used to describe Lisandro Martinez’s situation at United.
If he carries on the Copa America form and brings it to United, they can look forward to a fruitful third season as Erik ten Hag gets down to wash away the stench of a forgettable second season.
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