Inter Milan Captain Lautaro Martinez Could Make Strong Ballon D'Or Case With Champions League Final Win Vs PSG
Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez could make his case for the Ballon d'Or if Inter Milan beat PSG in the Champions League final.
This is the view in today's print edition of Rome-based newspaper Corriere dello Sport, via FCInterNews.
Advertisement
Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez finished seventh in the Ballon d'Or voting last year.
While obviously a great result in and of itself, there was a lingering sense that it was disappointing for the Nerazzurri captain.
That is because it came off the back of a season in which Martinez had been Inter's top scorer on the way to a dominant Serie A title win.
Meanwhile, the 27-year-old was Argentina's top scorer at the Copa America last summer. Moreover, he scored the winning goal in the final against Colombia.
Lautaro Martinez Could Make Ballon D'Or Case With Champions League Final Win
MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 16: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale celebrates after scoring their team's first goal during the. UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Quarter Final Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FC Bayern München at San Siro on April 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by)
This season, Martinez has not been at nearly the same level domestically.
Advertisement
The Argentine has scored a hardly-spectacular twelve goals in Serie A. That is certainly one reason why Inter failed to successfully defend their league title against Napoli.
However, in the Champions League it has been a different story.
Lautaro Martinez has found the back of the net nine times for Inter in Europe this season.
And among these have been decisive goals against teams like Bayern Munich and Barcelona.
There is generally a feeling that Champions League performances count far more towards Ballon d'Or voting than domestic ones.
And few would deny that this has been Martinez's best ever campaign in Europe's top club competition.
Therefore, if Inter are to go all the way this evening against PSG – and particularly if Martinez scores in the final – it would become hard to overlook the Nerazzurri as a Ballon d'Or contender.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Manchester City monitoring Gianluigi Donnarumma's contract talks with PSG
Manchester City are lurking in the background as Gianluigi Donnarumma holds contract talks with Paris Saint-Germain after winning the UEFA Champions League title, as per a new report. The 26-year-old was in net for the high-flying French outfit who cruised their way to a sensational treble on Saturday courtesy of a stylish 5-0 battering of a meagre Inter side at the Allianz Arena. Advertisement Donnarumma has lifted his maiden UEFA Champions League title after years of failure in Paris and has been one of Luis Enrique's most eye-catching players in a team that has conquered all before itself en route to Ligue 1 and European glory this term. However, the Italy international, who received huge plaudits for his heroics in the 2021 European Championship penalty shootout win over England, faces an uncertain future at the Parc des Princes as he enters the final 12 months of his contract. Manchester City have recruited Hugo Viana to take over from Txiki Begiristain as director of football in the summer and are likely to enter the market for a new goalkeeper as Ederson continues to draw interest from Saudi Arabia amidst uncertainty over the future of Stefan Ortega Moreno. Advertisement Pep Guardiola is eyeing four to five first-team additions ahead of the 2025-26 campaign and Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak recently outlined the club's plans to announce all new signings in time for the FIFA Club World Cup, which begins in mid-June. City are closing in on deals to sign Lyon's Rayan Cherki and AC Milan's Tijjani Reijnders to begin their squad overhaul as Kevin De Bruyne nears a two-year move to Napoli after being told he does not feature in the club's plans next season. Guardiola will also have a new full-back in his ranks as Kyle Walker searches for a new club after returning from a loan spell at AC Milan, with Manchester City making it clear they are in the market for a new wide defender as they look to sell their former club captain. As per a new report by Gianluca Di Marzio, Manchester City are waiting for Gianluigi Donnarumma to make a decision on his future at Paris Saint-Germain as they look to bolster their options in goal after a disappointing 2024-25 campaign. Advertisement Ederson wanted to leave for Saudi Arabia last summer but a transfer failed to materialise and Ortega Moreno has not convinced Guardiola to take over as number one should the former leave the 2023 treble winners after eight seasons at the Etihad Stadium. It is understood that none of PSG's current renewal offers have met Donnarumma's financial expectations and Manchester City remain in a strong financial position after a few years of lucrative academy and first-team sales should they pursue their interest in the Italian shotstopper. It remains to be seen if City do seriously target Donnarumma but after keeping a clean sheet in the UEFA Champions League final victory over Inter Milan, it is likely that all parties reach a middle ground and shake hands to tie the 26-year-old down to fresh terms in the French capital.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Colón reject Forneris bid: what other options do Racing have?
Colón reject Forneris bid: what other options do Racing have? These days, Racing Club is focused on the transfer market, and has already set its sights on one of its targets: Alan Forneris. The young midfielder who plays for Colón has been the main target at the Academy to strengthen the squad for the second half of the season. Advertisement Racing has already made an offer but Colón rejected it as insufficient. New offer or other options? According to information from Racing de Alma, the Academy offered one million dollars for Alan Forneris, intending to include in the negotiation the card of Germán Conti, who has no place in Gustavo Costas' team. While Conti is also wanted by Belgrano, Colón is not interested in the central defender, and rejected Racing's million-dollar offer. The Sabalero demands two million for Fornaris, and also wants to keep 20% of his card. This week it will be decided whether Racing meets Colón's demands to add Forneris, or changes its strategy and looks for other names to strengthen the midfield. Advertisement In this regard, other players that the board led by Diego Milito would have in mind have already been leaked. The first is Lautaro López, a 20-year-old midfielder who plays for Montevideo City Torque in Uruguay, and who has experience in the Argentina Under-20 team. Another option is Facundo Di Biasi, a 19-year-old central midfielder who plays for Gimnasia y Esgrima in La Plata. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
PSG Captain Sends Special Message for Neymar after Champions League Win
PSG Captain Sends Special Message for Neymar after Champions League Win originally appeared on Athlon Sports. PSG captain Marquinhos has been a part of the French club since 2013. The Brazilian defender has been a part of the 'PSG project' from the start and is one of the few who remain a part of the current squad. Advertisement An emotional Marquinhos lifted the Champions League trophy along with the PSG squad, but the Brazilian defender made time to thank players like Neymar, who helped the club lead to winning the most prestigious prize in Europe. Marquinhos: "This [Champions League Trophy] is for Thiago [Silva] and Neymar, players for who passed through this club. I think of all of the players who have come and gone like Thiago, Neymar, Lucas [Moura], Maxwell, great players who deserved more and [deserved] to win this title." Neymar's influence at PSG Neymar joined PSG in the summer of 2017, and it was a move that many did not expect. He stayed there until the summer of 2023, and two years later, the club finally achieved the trophy they've always wanted. PSG can thank Desire Doue, who arrived at the club last summer and is a massive Neymar fan. The French winger scored two goals in the Champions League Final last night, which led to a 5-0 win. Advertisement Doue spoke with Brazilian legend Marcelo after the game last night and had a special request involving Neymar. The video of Doue asking Marcelo to greet Neymar for him has gone viral, showcasing the impact Neymar has on him and other players. Neymar Congratulates PSG Many fans noticed Kylian Mbappe congratulating PSG after their Champions League win last night. What surprised many was Neymar's congratulations to the French club after many rumors suggesting an end on bad terms in 2023. Neymar left the club to join Al Hilal in the summer of 2023 for a transfer fee worth around $97 million. The Brazilian reposted PSG's video of them lifting the Champions League trophy and wrote, "Congratulations PSG." Advertisement Neymar and PSG follow each other on Instagram, something that wasn't the case after the Brazilian star's departure in 2023. Neymar congratulates PSG for winning the Champions League on his Instagram Instagram Related: Desire Doue's Historic Champions League Final Goal Overtakes a Lionel Messi Record Related: Luis Enrique Reaches Historic Champions League Feat After PSG's 5-0 Win Over Inter This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
