Argentine · Gualeguay, Argentina · Born 18 January 1998Fierce and combative Argentine defender nicknamed 'The Butcher' whose intensity and ball-playing ability belie his compact frame.
Lisandro Martínez was born on 18 January 1998 in Gualeguay, a city in Argentina's Entre Ríos Province, to Raúl "El Gringo" Martínez and Silvina Cabrera, a former youth football coach who personally trained him in his earliest years. He progressed through local clubs Urquiza and Libertad before joining Newell's Old Boys' academy in 2014, idolising former Argentina and Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze growing up. Martínez made his professional debut with Newell's before moving to Defensa y Justicia, and his combative, technically composed performances despite a modest 1.75-metre frame earned him a move to Ajax in 2019. He won back-to-back Eredivisie titles in Amsterdam, developing a reputation as one of European football's most tenacious ball-playing centre-backs, nicknamed "The Butcher" for his uncompromising tackling. Manchester United signed Martínez in 2022, and despite his unconventional height for a centre-back, he became a key, combative presence in United's defence, renowned for winning duels against much taller strikers through timing and aggression rather than physical stature. Martínez has been a mainstay of Argentina's national team since his 2019 debut, winning the 2021 Copa América, the 2022 Finalissima, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and a second Copa América title in 2024 — making him one of the most decorated Argentine players of his generation despite starting his international career as a relatively unheralded squad member.
World Cup winning defender despite being 5'9" tall
Standing just 5ft 9in, he is one of the shortest elite centre-backs in world football, yet wins an exceptionally high percentage of his aerial duels.
Did You Know?How They Played
Aggressive, ball-playing centre-back with exceptional tackling and aerial ability despite modest height
Lasting Impact
One of Argentina's premier modern defenders; inspired a new archetype of the tenacious yet technically gifted centre-back
Career Honours
- World Cup 2022
- Copa América 2024
- League Cup 2023
- FA Cup 2024
- Eredivisie 2x
- Eredivisie 2021
- Eredivisie 2022
- Ajax Player of the Year 2021-22
- Argentine Primera División Team of the Season 2019
- 2022 CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions (Finalissima)
- Copa América 2021
| Club | Period | Fee | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newell's Old Boys | 2017–2018 | — | 1 | 0 |
| Defensa y Justicia | 2017–2018 | loan | 21 | 1 |
| Defensa y Justicia | 2018–2019 | — | 25 | 2 |
| Ajax | 2019–2022 | — | 74 | 6 |
| Manchester United | 2022–Present | £57m | 76 | 3 |
 Argentina | — | — | 45 | 1 |
Argentine Athletes