“Trouble-free”: National media rave about United star’s confident, decisive World Cup display

On Sunday morning, Argentina overcame 10‑man Switzerland 3-1 after extra time. Alexis Mac Allister struck early, before Dan Ndoye levelled. Breel Embolo was then shown a red card after a VAR review. With the game finely poised, Julián Álvarez produced a brilliant curler in the 112th minute, and Lautaro Martínez sealed the win late on to send Argentina into a semi-final clash with England. Lisandro Martínez delivered a standout performance Much has been said about the match, yet Manchester United fans will surely be delighted with the praise directed at Lisandro Martínez, one of the biggest reasons they sacrificed their sleep to watch. Martínez has been outstanding throughout Argentina’s World Cup run. In fact, FotMob rate him as the highest‑performing centre-back at the tournament, with a 7.88 rating. Against Switzerland, he showed exactly why. Reaction to Martínez’s performance With three dribbles completed (the most in the match), nine duels won, and three recoveries, Martínez combined assured defensive play with confidence on the ball. Argentine media were blown away: TYC wrote: “He was again trouble‑free in anticipation, and equally smooth in his vertical passing. In one‑on‑one situations and in the occasional aerial duel, he lost more than he won. “But what grit this lad has, how he’s gaining confidence as the minutes tick by. Switzerland made things difficult for him, but he came out on top.” Meanwhile, Ole praised his playmaking instincts: “His start was as good as ever; he was very effective because he was confident and decisive. He made a few mistakes due to his tendency to venture far forward and even try to play in the opposition’s half. “At the end of regulation time, he attempted a perfect bicycle kick that miraculously didn’t go in. In extra time, before Julián’s goal, he was practically a playmaker.” On their part, Clarín singled out his defensive awareness: “Another very good game from Licha, both in marking, covering, intercepting, and of course, his constant presence in attack. He struggled a bit against Embolo at times, until he was sent off.” It is refreshing to see Martínez receive the recognition he deserves. A fit Martínez will come good for Manchester United The hope now is that he maintains both his form and fitness. When fit, few centre‑backs can match his quality. United fans will be eager to see him back next season, carrying these classy performances from the world stage into club football. Featured image by Michael Steele/Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Daniel Onguko Dan is a writer with The Peoples Person, an avid Manchester United fan whose passion for the Red Devils evolved into writing about them. He was introduced to United back in 2008, and his love for the club has continued to grow ever since. Like every other United fan, he believes the club will soon return to its rightful place and strives to reflect that belief in his writing. While he has also written about other Premier League sides, including Arsenal for Just Arsenal and The Arsenal Analysis Blogspot, Dan lives and breathes Manchester United.