Lautaro Martinez

Lautaro Javier Martinez was born on August 22, 1997, in Bahía Blanca, Argentina. He started his football journey in his hometown, joining local side Liniers in 2006 and showcasing exceptional talent at the U-17 level. His early career saw him score 13 goals in the U-17 league in 2013, notably reaching the National Cup final, which Liniers narrowly lost on penalties. This impressive youth performance drew the attention of Racing Club, where he transferred in January 2014. Despite initial homesickness, which momentarily made him consider returning home, Martinez was persuaded to stay and went on to score 53 goals in 64 appearances for Racing Club’s reserve team. A significant turning point occurred in 2015 when he declined an offer from Real Madrid, opting to remain with Racing Club to further develop his skills in Argentina. He made his senior league debut on November 1, 2015, as a substitute for Diego Milito. Martinez scored his first senior goal later that year against Huracán in November.

His career at Racing Club progressed significantly, especially during the 2016–17 season, where he took on a more prominent role due to an injury to a key striker, scoring 9 goals in 23 league appearances. In December 2017, he underwent a controversial medical examination with Atlético Madrid, a move Racing Club criticized given Martínez had just signed a renewed contract with an increased release clause. He ended that year with a man-of-the-match performance, contributing a goal and an assist in a 3–1 win. A highlight of his time with Racing Club was scoring his second hat-trick of the season during his Copa Libertadores debut against Cruzeiro in February 2018. His impressive form led to a transfer to Inter Milan on July 4, 2018, for €22.7 million, marking a major step in his professional career.

At Inter Milan, Martinez quickly established himself, scoring on his unofficial debut in a friendly against Lugano. His first Serie A goal came against Cagliari on September 29, 2018. He continued to achieve significant milestones, including his first European goal in the UEFA Europa League in February 2019 and his first UEFA Champions League goal against Barcelona in October 2019, becoming the first Inter player since Roberto Boninsegna in 1970 to score at Camp Nou. In the 2023–24 season, he was appointed club captain and finished as the Serie A top scorer with 24 goals, earning the Serie A Most Valuable Player award. Internationally, Martinez played a crucial role in Argentina’s successes, winning the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and the 2024 Copa América, where he also received the Golden Boot. He is currently Inter Milan’s fifth-highest all-time top goalscorer.