Argentina forward Lautaro Martínez says he often watches his winning goal against England in the 2026 World Cup semifinal, labelling it "one of the most important in the history of the national team."
Martinez came on in the 81st minute of that game with Argentina trailing 1-0. After Enzo Fernández levelled the score, Martinez headed Lionel Messi's cross into the back of the net for a 2-1 win.
"I've seen it many times, I still keep watching it," the Inter Milan captain told the Argentina Football Association when asked about his stoppage time goal. "I have videos [of the goal] saved on my phone. It's a goal that will stay in my memory for the rest of my life. I happened to score one of the most important goals in the history of the Argentine national team."
A 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina, Martinez said that at the time he didn't realise the impact his goal had had for the Argentinian people.
The game held a special significance because of the bitter rivalry that exists between the two countries that transcends sport.
"Perhaps I wasn't fully aware of the goal I'd scored at the time," Martinez said.
"I knew what it meant at that stage of the match -- but afterwards we were all so caught up in the intensity of it all, as we were playing a final in three or four days' time, so I'd forgotten about it.
"But when you arrive in Argentina -- or, in my case, before coming here [Buenos Aires], I had to go to Rome for my last match, spend a night there and go out for lunch with my family before heading to the airport -- and you bump into four Argentinians, and an elderly lady tells you that she's screamed out of joy at an Argentina national team goal for the first time in ages, it really stirs up some incredible emotions.
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"Arriving here [Buenos Aires], setting foot in the country and having people thank you not just for what we do with the national team, but thanking me in particular for what that goal meant -- that's when I really realise the significance of that goal in the history of the Argentina national team."
The victory over England saw Argentina progress to their second straight final, where they lost to Spain 1-0 in extra-time.