Lautaro's Argentina numbers and stats

On Sunday 19 July at 21:00 CEST, Lautaro Martínez and Argentina will take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Spain at New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. It will be another landmark occasion for the Inter captain, who is set to play in his second World Cup final after featuring in Argentina's triumph over France at Qatar 2022.

Argentina have reached the final and much of the credit belongs to El Toro. The striker has been decisive throughout the tournament, contributing three goals and one assist. The defining moment of his campaign came in the semi-final against England, when his dramatic 90+2' header completed Argentina's remarkable comeback and secured a place in the New York final for Lionel Messi and his teammates.

Just as he has done with Inter, Lautaro continues to rewrite the record books for his national team. He made his Argentina debut on 27 March 2018 against Spain in Madrid, a 6-1 defeat in a World Cup warm-up friendly ahead of Russia 2018. The then 20-year-old came on in the 59th minute for Gonzalo Higuaín. Although that side looked very different from today's, four players who are also part of Argentina's 2026 World Cup squad were on the pitch alongside him: Nicolás Otamendi, Nicolás Tagliafico, Giovani Lo Celso and Leandro Paredes. Since then, Lautaro has made 84 appearances for the Albiceleste, scoring 40 goals at an outstanding rate of 0.48 goals per game. Those 40 strikes place the Inter captain fourth on Argentina's all-time scoring chart, behind the untouchable Lionel Messi with 125 goals in 206 appearances, Gabriel Batistuta with 55 in 78 matches, and Sergio Agüero with 41 in 101. Over the years, Lautaro has climbed past some of the greatest names in Argentine football history. The latest was Hernán Crespo on 35 goals, having previously overtaken Diego Maradona, Gonzalo Higuaín and Ángel Di María, all of whom finished on 31.

As always, however, goals must be measured by their importance as well as their quantity. That is why Lautaro has become one of the defining figures of Argentina's recent golden era. Before this generation, the Albiceleste had not won a major trophy since the 1993 Copa América. Since then they have lifted the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, defeated Italy in the 2022 Finalissima, and above all won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Lautaro has played a key role in every one of those triumphs. At the 2021 Copa América he scored three goals, helping Argentina end their long wait for silverware with victory over Brazil at the Maracanã. Three years later he was the tournament's standout performer, finishing as top scorer with five goals, including the winner in the final against Colombia. He also contributed a goal and an assist in the 3-0 Finalissima victory over Italy at Wembley in 2022. At the Qatar World Cup he did not find the net, but his influence remained immense, converting the decisive penalty in the quarter-final shootout against the Netherlands and playing a crucial role in the final against France after coming off the bench, helping create Messi's extra-time goal for the temporary 3-2 lead.

Now, at the World Cup, El Toro is adding new unforgettable chapters to his Argentina story. After opening his account from the penalty spot against Jordan, he transformed the Round of 16 clash with Egypt by inspiring Argentina's comeback and providing the decisive assist for Enzo Fernández. The script was repeated in the quarter-final against Switzerland, where another Lautaro goal deep into extra time sealed victory. His masterpiece came in the semi-final against England with the dramatic winner that sent Argentina into the final.

Lautaro has no intention of stopping there. He now hopes to deliver once again against Spain in the World Cup final, the very nation against whom his Argentina journey began more than eight years ago.