Martínez expresses disappointment over World Cup final benching

Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez has expressed subtle frustration as he was benched during the entire World Cup final match against Spain, despite showcasing outstanding performance in the previous round. 

The Inter Milan star remained as an unused substitute for the 120 minutes of the final clash. Although his previous decisive contribution in Argentina’s semi-final victory was phenomenal. 

Addressing his reduced play-time, Martinez made a public statement which targeted the head coach Lionel Scaloni. He wrote on Instagram, ‘I would have love to help the team on the pitch yesterday…’

The Argentine reaffirmed his commitment towards the national team and praised supporters who came to watch matches. He extended his gratitude to the fans and expressed immense pride in being an Argentine.

The benching marked a significant shift in Martínez's role, as he had been a regular starter through the round of 32 before being relegated to a substitute role for the remainder of the knockout stages.

According to tournament records, Martinez properly embraced his role of being a high-impact substitute for the World Cup matches. He excelled in the semi-final and delivered the match-winning strike against England which led his team to the final.

Martínez will now go on vacation before rejoining Inter Milan for preseason training ahead of their Serie A opener against Monza on August 22.

-SA