Lautaro Martinez Discusses Growth At Inter Milan Despite Ballon D'Or Ranking

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Lautaro Martinez expressed that his achievements with Inter last season were not fully recognised, despite finishing seventh in the Ballon d'Or rankings. He played a crucial role in Inter's 20th Scudetto win and Argentina's Copa America victory. Martinez topped Serie A's scoring chart with 24 goals in 33 matches, surpassing Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic by eight goals.

At the beginning of the season, Martinez made history by becoming the first Serie A player to score four goals as a substitute during Inter's 4-0 win over Salernitana. His overall contribution has seen him net over 100 goals in Serie A. Despite missing out on the Ballon d'Or, Martinez felt he was pivotal for Inter last season.

In an interview with Corriere Della Sera, Martinez stated, "Not just because I was the top scorer in the Copa America and Serie A, but also for the way I played." He contributed significantly to Argentina's Copa America success, scoring five times in six matches despite starting only twice.

Martinez has maintained his form from last season, netting five league goals in 13 appearances for Inter. The team currently sits third in the table, trailing leaders Napoli by four points. As they prepare to face Como on Monday, Martinez is optimistic about increasing his goal tally.

The Argentine forward has been involved in 25 goals across his last 24 games against newly promoted Serie A teams, comprising 20 goals and five assists. He attributes his outstanding performance to head coach Simone Inzaghi, who took over from Antonio Conte in 2021.

Impact of Coaching on Performance

Martinez praised Inzaghi's influence on his game, stating that he has improved significantly under his guidance. "I think so [that Inzaghi is underrated]," he admitted. "His secret is that sometimes he still thinks like a player, so he understands us really well and lives things the way we do."

He added that having Inzaghi as a former striker is advantageous because it allows him to play with a clear mind and joy. "Those are very positive things," said Martinez. He also acknowledged learning much from Conte and expressed gratitude for that experience.

Martinez feels that under Inzaghi's leadership, he has reached an even higher level of performance.