'Mr Underappreicated' Lautaro Martinez on course to fire Inter to success at home and abroad to prove he belongs with the best

If you take a quick glimpse at the top of Serie A, you'll see the familiar name of Inter Milan currently leading the way in Italy's title race. 

They are a club perennially involved in what happens at the top of the table, but their position at the summit only tells half the story. The narrative around the first half of the season centred on the tight title chase in Serie A, where, at one point, a single point separated the top five teams in the division. 

However, in a league where gamechangers make all the difference, Inter have perhaps the league's biggest difference maker of them all, but outside of the San Siro, he's rarely seen in the same way. 

For all the constant talk of Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Robert Lewandowski, and the notion of number nines coming back into fashion, Lautaro Martinez always feels like an afterthought, despite him being one of the most consistent frontmen on the continent. 

And this season has been no different for the man they call 'El Toro'.

Inter's Irreplaceable 

Martinez moved to Italy in 2018 from Racing Club, and in eight seasons at the San Siro, he has netted 170 goals for the club. 

Only in his first season, as he grew accustomed to his new surroundings, has the Argentine failed to hit double figures in goals, and from the 2019-20 season, he's pretty much been Inter's first-choice hitman. 

A composed and clinical finisher, with a winning mentality that earned him the nickname 'The Bull', his goals have been backed up by success during his time in Serie A. 

He can boast of two Serie A wins, two Coppa Italia titles, and appearances in two Champions League finals, which sadly ended in defeat for him and the Nerazzurri. 

Individually, his goals earned him the Capocannoniere in 2024 for the league's top scorer, in a season that he was also named Serie A's MVP.

In fact, since Martinez moved to Italy's top flight eight years ago, no player has scored more goals than his 126, with Ciro Immobile next closest on 117. 

Then there's his international record, in an era where it's easy for Argentina's attackers to be shadowed by Lionel Messi, Martinez has been a regular member of the squad and his 36 goals put him fourth on the all-time goalscorers list. Only behind the fine company of Messi, Gabriel Batistuta and Sergio Aguero. 

He has two Copa América medals to his name as well as being part of Argentina's World Cup-winning squad of 2022, yet despite all the accolades, it sometimes feels that Martinez doesn't get the appreciation he deserves outside of his club and national team. 

Perhaps his consistency is almost to his detriment; his continuation to rack up goals is now seen as a given, and therefore, it's forgotten just how important he's been for Inter and their success. But then Kane, Haaland and co also perform at the same consistent level, and yet are more lauded. 

It could be argued that Serie A isn't at the same standard as it once was, but it's a league that is still as defence-minded as it's always been, and Martínez has managed impressive tallies, proving how clinical he really is. 

You can't even blame the lack of team success, having won two Scudettos and reached two Champions League finals. Maybe the only thing that's missing is a truly career-defining big-game moment from the Argentine, but arguably what the 28-year-old has already achieved is supercedes that anyway. 

Yet, it feels like the Inter skipper is Europe's Mr Underappreciated, and it's hard to pinpoint exactly why. Not that Inter will care, they know what they have, and it's fair to say they wouldn't swap him for anyone else. 

(C)Getty images

Best season yet? 

Maybe then this could be the season for Martinez to finally shine above his peers, because domestically, he's already there. 

Once again, he leads the goalscoring charts, with 11, while also laying on four assists, giving him the most goal involvements in Serie A. Numbers that were rewarded with December's Player of the Month gong.

Inter are pulling away from the rest at the top of the league and it could be Martinez and is never say die mentality who lifts the championship trophy for a third time. 

Then there's the Champions League. Twice in three years, Inter have come up short, including last season's utterly humiliating final defeat to PSG. But you'd back them to go all the way again. 

If El Toro can deliver at least one of the major trophies and continue his game-changing form throughout the campaign, then surely the appreciation he so richly deserves will finally come his way. 

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