Lisandro Martínez

Lisandro Martínez (born 18 January 1998) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Ajax and the Argentina national team.[1]

Lisandro Martínez

Personal information
Date of birth	18 January 1998
Place of birth	Gualeguay, Argentina
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s)	Centre-back[2][3][4]
Club information
Current team	Ajax
Number	21
Youth career
2002–2006	Club Urquiza
2006–2014	Club Libertad
2014–2017	Newell's Old Boys
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2018	Newell's Old Boys	1	(0)
2017–2018	→ Defensa y Justicia (loan)	21	(1)
2018–2019	Defensa y Justicia	25	(2)
2019–	Ajax	37	(4)
National team^‡
2017	Argentina U20	4	(0)
2019	Argentina U23
2019–	Argentina	1	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 January 2021 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 27 December 2020 (UTC)

Club career

Martínez had youth spells with Club Urquiza (Gualeguay, Entre Rios), Club Libertad (Gualeguay, Entre Rios) and Newell's Old Boys.[5][6] He made his professional debut for Newell's in the club's final fixture of the 2016–17 season, he played the full match in a loss to Godoy Cruz.[1] In August 2017, Martínez joined fellow Argentine Primera División side Defensa y Justicia on loan.[7][8] His first appearance for Defensa arrived on 13 October in a defeat against San Lorenzo.[1] Two appearances later, he scored his first senior goal in an away win versus Temperley.[1][9] Defensa y Justicia signed Martínez permanently in June 2018.[1]

On 17 May 2019, Defensa y Justicia announced that a deal had been agreed with Eredivisie team Ajax; subject to the passing of a medical.[10] Ajax announced the completion of the medical on 20 May, with the transfer to go through on 1 July.[11] He penned a four-year contract, with the option of a further year.[11] He didn't officially join until July, though did feature in June friendlies with Quick '20 and AaB.[1] His competitive bow came in the 2019 Johan Cruyff Shield against PSV Eindhoven, as Ajax won the trophy following a two-goal victory.[1] He was voted man of the match in his second Eredivisie game; in a win over FC Emmen.[12]

Martínez netted his first Ajax goal on 28 September, as he opened the scoring in a 2–0 victory over FC Groningen at the Johan Cruyff Arena.[13] He scored again against Utrecht in November, in a campaign which was ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1] In his first match of 2020–21, Martínez got his third Ajax goal in a home win versus RKC Waalwijk on 20 September.[1]

International career

Martínez won four caps for the Argentina U20s at the 2017 South American Youth Football Championship in Ecuador.[1][6][14] The first came during the first stage against Venezuela, while the other three arrived during the final stage as Argentina finished 4th and subsequently qualified for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea.[1] He received a call-up for the U-20 World Cup but failed to make an appearance, appearing on the substitutes bench once versus Guinea.[1][15] In March 2019, Martínez received his first call-up to the senior team.[16] He won his opening cap as they lost in Madrid to Venezuela on 22 March.[1]

Martínez was selected for Fernando Batista's U23s in September 2019, ahead of an exhibition encounter with Bolivia.[17]

Style of play

Martínez is a primarily a centre-back, though is capable at playing as a central midfielder; having played there at times for Defensa y Justicia and Ajax.[3][4]

Career statistics

Club

As of 31 January 2021.[1]

Club statistics

Club	Season	League			Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Newell's Old Boys	2016–17	Primera División	1	0	0	0	—		—		0	0	1	0
	2017–18	Primera División	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		1	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0	1	0
Defensa y Justicia (loan)	2017–18	Primera División	21	1	0	0	—		2[lower-alpha 1]	0	0	0	23	1
Defensa y Justicia	2018–19	Primera División	25	2	0	0	2	0	7[lower-alpha 1]	0	0	0	34	2
	Total		46	3	0	0	2	0	9	0	0	0	57	3
Ajax	2019–20	Eredivisie	24	2	4	0	—		12[lower-alpha 2]	0	1[lower-alpha 3]	0	41	2
	2020–21	Eredivisie	13	2	2	0	—		5[lower-alpha 4]	0	0	0	20	2
	Total		37	4	6	0	—		17	0	1	0	61	4
Career total			84	7	6	0	2	0	26	0	1	0	119	7

1. Appearance(s) in the Copa Sudamericana
2. Ten appearances in the UEFA Champions League, two appearances in the UEFA Europa League
3. Appearance(s) in the Johan Cruyff Shield
4. Appearance(s) in the UEFA Champions League

International

As of 27 December 2020.[1]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Argentina	2019	1	0
Total		1	0

Honours

Ajax[1]

• Johan Cruyff Shield: 2019

References

1. "Lisandro Martínez profile". Soccerway. 14 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
2. "Lisandro Martínez". World Football. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
3. "Lisandro Martínez, de la infancia humilde en Gualeguay al lujo del Ajax goleador: "Estaría bueno que los futbolistas ayudemos más a los que lo necesitan"". Clarín. 26 October 2020. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
4. "Ten exciting Champions League debutants to watch this week". The Guardian. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 18 September 2019.
5. "Lisandro Martínez: Los más chicos aprendemos de los referentes". Newell's Old Boys. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
6. "Reconocieron a Lisandro Martínez por su desempeño en el fútbol nacional". El Dia de Gualeguay. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
7. "Lisandro Martínez, de Newell´s a Defensa". TyC Sports. 11 August 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
8. "Lisandro Martínez profile". BDFA. 14 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
9. "Defensa y Justicia aplastó a un Temperley que se hunde". Clarín. 5 November 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
10. "Lisandro Martínez será transferido al Ajax de Holanda". Defensa y Justicia. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
11. "Ajax verzekert zich van komst Argentijn Lisandro Martínez". Ajax. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
12. "NB: 'Waarom zou je Tadic niet als eerste spits zien?'". Ajax Showtime. 10 August 2019. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
13. "Ajax venció a Groningen y sigue como líder de la Eredivisie". TyC Sports. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 28 September 2019.
14. "Se terminó el año para los juveniles". Argentine Football Association. 29 December 2017. Archived from the original on 8 March 2019. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
15. "Argentina Sub 20 regresa a los trabajos en Ezeiza con miras al mundial de la categoría". CONMEBOL. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
16. ""Hay que trabajar para el futuro de la Selección"". AFA. 7 March 2019. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
17. "La Selección Sub 23 jugará ante Bolivia desde las 19, en el estadio de Banfield". AFA. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 4 September 2019.

External links

• Lisandro Martínez at Soccerway