An Inter Legend Conquering The World - How Martinez's Dream Came True

"Have you sewage your bags packed already?"

Whenever they met, Lionel Messi would joke pinch Lautaro Martinez, asking if his Argentina team-mate would beryllium joining him astatine Barcelona.

It was early 2020, and Barca were connected nan lookout for a replacement for Luis Suarez, pinch Martinez having go their apical target for nan pursuing season.

Messi was an integral portion of nan full cognition to lure nan Inter Milan guardant to nan Camp Nou.

At immoderate point, it looked for illustration nan woody was beautiful overmuch done - but past came nan Covid-19 pandemic and abruptly it fell through.

Martinez did not move from San Siro and, 5 years on, has made Inter his squad - hitting astatine slightest 20 goals successful each of nan past 4 seasons and breaking 1 grounds aft another.

He is now nan Nerazzurri's all-time starring scorer successful nan Champions League pinch 18 goals, becoming nan first subordinate to people successful 5 consecutive matches for nan squad successful nan tourney and is presently only 1 extremity distant from equalling Hernan Crespo (nine goals successful 2002-03) arsenic nan club's top-scorer successful a azygous version of nan competition.

That each has been capable to cement Lautaro's spot among Inter's legends, but nan 27-year-old is aiming for much arsenic he heads to nan Camp Nou connected Wednesday to look Barcelona successful nan first limb of nan Champions League semi-finals.

Not only does he want to triumph nan only awesome trophy that he still lacks, but besides beryllium that he deserves much nickname than he has received truthful acold successful his career.

"Sometimes, I do consciousness underrated, yes," he admitted to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera aft finishing successful seventh position successful nan 2024 Ballon d'Or award.

He is not unsocial successful reasoning that.

Those who person known Martinez since his first steps successful Argentine shot pinch Liniers and Racing stock nan aforesaid thoughts.

"If Lautaro did nan aforesaid point for Manchester United aliases Tottenham, he would beryllium talked astir more, aft all, it's nan Premier League," erstwhile Racing scout Diego Huerta told BBC Sport.

"So I don't deliberation it's because of Lautaro – it's because he plays for Inter.

"They already reached nan Champions League last [against Manchester City] successful 2023, pinch him arsenic 1 of their standout players, and yet he doesn't get nan aforesaid spotlight that others do. What he did, for example, astatine past year's Copa América [being top-scorer] was incredible."

What's missing then? His onslaught partner, Marcus Thuram, has suggested that Martinez should "smile a spot more". If that's nan issue, starring Inter to nan title would surely thief pinch that.

Martinez comes from nan confederate municipality of Bahia Blanca, a spot peculiarly known for its emotion for basketball.

Like his younger relative Jano, nan Argentina world himself could person had a profession successful that sport, but decided alternatively to travel his begetter Mario and his older relative Alan and instrumentality pinch football.

Ever since making that choice, he has adopted nan mantra that says if you want to beryllium different connected nan pitch, you person to beryllium different disconnected it.

He has ever taken it very seriously.

A centre-back turned forward, he was only 15 erstwhile he made his elder debut pinch Liniers, scoring successful his very first game. But that was not nan astir awesome point astir it. What amazed his team-mates was nan level of subject he already presented astatine that age.

"In Bahia, location was a TV transmission that broadcast our matches, truthful I utilized to spell location to inquire for nan videotapes. I had to bargain them because they weren't going to springiness them to maine for free," he revealed.

"It was my dream to go a master footballer. Now it's different, of course, I get everything edited and sent to me. Some group are amazed by nan measurement I americium aliases nan measurement I think. But for me, it feels wholly natural."

It's nary wonderment that erstwhile Racing spotted him a while later, they took him correct distant - nary proceedings needed.

"He's 1 of nan astir unthinkable professionals I've ever seen," said Huerta, now a method caput astatine Cerro Porteno successful Paraguay.

"He was nan complete package – a very beardown mentality, very serious, very committed to work, from nan alleged 'invisible trainings' to taking attraction of himself – he doesn't smoke, doesn't portion alcohol, doesn't portion Coca-Cola.

"Our scientist Cecilia Contarino utilized to tally tests to measurement players' concentration. The scores ranged from nought to 100. She'd show maine that 60 to 70 was already acceptable for a high-performance athlete. Some players sewage 30 aliases 40 though. And this kid? He collapsed nan record. He scored 98."

Having arrived from Liniers earlier that year, Martinez watched nan 2014 World Cup from Casa Tita Mattiussi, Racing's celebrated nine dormitory.

In nan 2nd version of a book bid called Pelota de Papel – featuring stories written by players and coaches specified arsenic Pablo Aimar, Juan Pablo Sorin, Javier Saviola and Jorge Sampaoli – he reflected connected that experience.

Martinez couldn't cognize astatine nan time, but 4 years from past he would make his world debut. He has won a World Cup and 2 Copa America titles pinch his country.

"In my room astatine Racing's dormitory – 1 of my favourite places successful nan world – I utilized to beryllium and deliberation astir what it would beryllium for illustration to make it to nan first team. But I had this thought stuck successful my caput that I'd ne'er beryllium for illustration those idols I admired. Diego Milito, Roger Martinez, Gustavo Bou, and 'Licha' Lopez – those are existent players," he wrote.

"Every clip I thought astir playing, nan first point that came to mind was that I'd ne'er gain a spot connected nan team, and that I'd person to spell backmost to my hometown earlier long. I ever dreamed of being for illustration them.

"Today, successful 1 of those aforesaid rooms successful that beautiful dormitory, there's astir apt a kid who thinks he doesn't beryllium successful nan team. That's precisely nan infinitesimal erstwhile you person to activity moreover harder, train more, slumber well, eat better, and supra each support dreaming. Because this isn't conscionable a story: your dream tin travel true."

Martinez's did.

He collapsed into Racing's first squad replacing his idol Milito successful 2015, near nan nine arsenic nan astir costly transportation ever astatine $31m (£23m) successful 2018 and has since go nan first foreigner to people 150 goals for Inter.

He whitethorn still consciousness underrated, but that tin beryllium astir to change.

"Are location really that galore forwards successful nan world amended than Lautaro – personification who tin beryllium a goalscorer and a leader, decisive connected nan transportation and a existent squad subordinate disconnected it?" asked La Gazzetta dello Sport aft Inter knocked Bayern Munich retired of nan Champions League.

The reply will beryllium recovered soon.