According to L'Equipe, Lautaro Martinez was once again relegated to the bench in this World Cup, but he helped Argentina advance to the final with a crucial goal, breaking his World Cup obsession.
It is precisely these "details" that demonstrate Scaloni's coaching skill and the team spirit within the Argentine team. Throughout Argentina's journey to the final against Spain this Sunday, captain Messi repeatedly stepped up, and the team displayed a strong collective fighting spirit and resilience. In the Round of 16 against Egypt, Montiel and Lautaro came off the bench, contributing the team's second and third goals respectively (ultimately a 3-2 victory). In the quarter-final against Switzerland, the Inter Milan striker again scored, sealing a 3-1 win in extra time. And in the semi-final against England, he delivered the most crucial moment – a header in stoppage time that secured a 2-1 victory for Argentina and their advancement.
Speaking about this decisive moment, the usually reserved Lautaro rarely revealed his deepest feelings. "From the first time my father bought me football boots, I've always dreamed of scoring a goal like this," he said with tears in his eyes. "I want to dedicate this goal to my mother. From the time I joined Racing Club (at 16, where I completed my youth training and became a professional player), she would make my bed for every match I went to. This goal means much more than just a goal, much more than just a final."
These heartfelt words may also reveal the reason for his previous poor performance at the World Cup. Lautaro's relationship with the tournament has never been smooth; he always seems to be constrained by the atmosphere of major competitions. Although his overall statistics for the national team are excellent (40 goals in 84 appearances, fourth on Argentina's all-time top scorers list, behind only Messi, Batistuta, and Aguero), he has never been able to unleash his full potential at the World Cup. A similar situation has occurred in the Champions League, where he has never been able to replicate his dominant performances in Serie A—where he won the Serie A top scorer award in both the 2023-24 and 2025-26 seasons.
His start to this World Cup in the United States looked like a poor sequel. Scaloni started him in the first four matches, but he performed poorly, only managing to open his scoring account with a penalty in a perfunctory group stage match against Jordan (3-1). After that, he lost his starting position from the round of 16 onwards, being replaced by Julian Álvarez.
This scene mirrored that of the 2022 World Cup. He also started the first two matches then, only to be relegated to the bench, watching helplessly as his younger rivals shone (4 goals in 5 games). Although Argentina coach Scaloni repeatedly expressed satisfaction with both strikers' performances, Lautaro was clearly suffering. "It wasn't easy, especially for Lautaro," Scaloni said after the quarter-final. "He lost his starting position, but played a decisive role in the two games he came on as a substitute. I must thank him for his professionalism. Putting the Serie A top scorer on the bench wasn't an easy decision for me either. Giving everyone playing time is difficult. The players understand, of course, those who didn't play aren't happy, but they're all looking forward."
Inter Milan will have a player appear in the World Cup final for the 12th consecutive time.
Lautaro did it. Like the Argentine team, he never wavered in his belief in his destiny, a belief stemming from the maturity of 28 and the experience of fatherhood. "My life has changed since having children," he explained. "I'm a man now, and I want to enjoy these moments. I'll try not to cry, because I've cried so many times." He continued, "I've dreamt about this scene, I swear. I told Alexis (McAllister) I would score. On the bench, I told Faku (Medina) I would play and win the game." Returning from the Qatar World Cup, though a member of the champions, he carried a bitter taste – as a striker, he failed to score and make a real impact on the tournament. This time, regardless of the outcome of Sunday's final, he is already Argentina's hero in the semi-final against England, an indispensable key figure in the team's journey.
