Aheed Abrar
Wayne Rooney calls Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez “perfect” for international football
Manchester United icon Wayne Rooney has hailed Lisandro Martinez as the “perfect” player for international football. The former Red Devils forward has been impressed by the Argentina international’s displays for the Old Trafford side.
The 24-year-old is currently on international duty with La Albiceleste. He is part of Lionel Scaloni’s 26-man squad that is set to take part in the World Cup.
Speaking to The Times (Subscription Required) [h/t Manchester Evening News], Rooney expressed his admiration for Martinez. And the ex-England international feels the centre-back will play a pivotal role for Argentina in Qatar.
“I really like Lisandro Martínez. Watching him for Manchester United recently, he is really composed and aggressive. He is perfect for international football and will be a big player for them.”
The 24-year-old signed for United in the summer of 2022 from Ajax. He reunited with Erik ten Hag in Manchester, having played under him in Amsterdam. The Dutch manager was the one who had initially brought the defender to De Godenzonen.
After a fruitful spell with the Eredivisie outfit, Ten Hag was appointed head coach of the Old Trafford side. And he opted to make Martinez one of his marquee buys in the recent transfer window.
The Argentina international had a rough start to life in Manchester. In the first two fixtures of the season, the Red Devils lost to Brighton & Hove Albion and Brentford. And the 24-year-old was heavily criticised.
However, since then, the centre-back has managed to turn things around in a red shirt. He has become a fan favourite and supporters have been enamoured by the defender’s no-nonsense, passionate performances.
Most fans have also noticed the quality Martinez possesses on the ball. And with the Dutch manager seemingly wanting to play out from the back, the Argentine is evidently a key player.
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The 24-year-old has not been able to break into Scaloni’s starting lineup in past tournaments. Hopefully, the centre-back will get the opportunity at the World Cup.
