“Some of them have won less than me” - When Lautaro Martinez boldly addressed comparisons with Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe
Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez boldly claimed earlier this year that he was not jealous of footballing superstars Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. He pointed out that he had won more trophies than some of the absolute stars of the game.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this summer, Martinez stated that he had no reason to be jealous of Mbappe, Harry Kane or Haaland. He said he was focused on himself and was working to stay on the same level as the aforementioned names. He said:
"I have nothing to be jealous of them [Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland], the numbers and the trophies say so. Some of them have won less than me. I have to keep working responsibly as my father taught me, but I can be at the same level as all these great players."
When asked about his future, Martinez said he was keen on staying at Inter Milan. He stated that he loved the club and the city, so there was no thought of leaving.
"I don't think the fans need to know the figures. I obviously only speak to Inter about that. There is talk of €12 or €14 million, but I repeat, these are issues between Lautaro and the club. Besides, these are numbers I never mentioned and neither did Inter. Why should we talk about this? Let us instead talk about his love for Inter. The fans must know that Lautaro loves the city of Milan and this team. Lautaro loves this club, so there is no need to worry," he added.
Lautaro Martinez has won the FIFA World Cup, Copa America, and Serie A over the last couple of years among other honors.
Lautaro Martinez was advised not to follow Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland
Lautaro Martinez has been linked with an exit from Inter Milan since 2020 but has stayed put at San Siro. The Argentine has been repeatedly advised by former players and coaches that he needs to stick with the Serie A side.
Fabio Capello was the first to openly speak about it and urged Martinez to reject a move to Barcelona back in 2020. The former England manager said (via GOAL):
"If I were him, I would stay at Inter, because at Barca he would be a substitute."
Hernan Crespo also told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he advised Martinez against a move to Barcelona. He said in 2021:
"I have known Lautaro for a long time. Last summer I advised him to not accept Barcelona's offer and stay at Inter and in the end I was right. Lautaro is lethal in the box and his moves are always directed to shooting at goal. He is strong with his head. He has opportunities and he faces defenders taller than him."
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, on the other hand, have since moved on to bigger clubs. The Frenchman joined Real Madrid this summer from Paris Saint-Germain, while Haaland moved to Manchester City in 2022 from Borussia Dortmund.