Lisandro Martinez was subbed off by Lionel Scaloni as Argentina replaced him with Nicolas Otamendi in the 2026 World Cup final vs Spain. The reason is Martinez felt a muscle discomfort in the right leg that rendered him unable to continue.
Martinez had been shown a yellow card a few minutes earlier as he made a slide tackle. While it’s unclear what action caused him the muscle injury, the slide tackle might have perfectly caused it as it was a physically demanding play just minutes before he was subbed off.
The Argentina defender has had quite some tough injuries before. Per Transfermarkt, Martinez has had 11 injuries that have sidelined him in his career. Most notably, an ACL tear in the 24/25 season, where he missed 292 days. Also, he was sidelined for 45 days last season due to a calf injury.
The calf injury could’ve cost Martinez the World Cup
Martinez was sidelined from February all the way to April of 2026. Meaning, he barely recovered on time to be able to attend the World Cup for Argentina. However, he was a key piece for this team en route to the final.
Lisandro Martinez #6 of Argentina
Now, Argentina will have to endure the rest of the 2026 World Cup final vs. Spain without one of their best defenders. Thankfully for the Albiceleste, Nicolas Otamendi is a proven veteran that has already won World Cup titles. Still, he is 38 years old, but confidence is strong.
Martinez’s stats in the 2026 World Cup
| Opponent | Stage | Mins | Def. Actions / Notes | Passing | Rating |
| Algeria (3-0 W) | Group Stage | 90′ | 2 Tackles won, 1 Clearance | 61/65 (94%) | 6.81 |
| Austria (2-0 W) | Group Stage | 90′ | 5 Clearances | 68/70 (97%) | 6.79 |
| Jordan (3-1 W) | Group Stage | — | Rested for final group stage game | — | — |
| Cabo Verde (3-2 W) | Round of 32 | 120′ | 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 7 Clearances | 109/113 (96%) | 7.68 |
| Egypt (3-2 W) | Round of 16 | 90′ | 10 Clearances, 3 Tackles won | 53/56 (95%) | 7.44 |
| Switzerland (3-1 W) | Quarter-Finals | 120′ | 5 Clearances, 1 Tackle | 68/80 (85%) | 5.70 |
| England (2-1 W) | Semi-Finals | 73′ | 5 Clearances, 1 Yellow card | 42/44 (95%) | 5.77 |
