The absence of Lautaro Martinez from the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina continues to spark debate. Not so much for being left out of the starting eleven, which had already happened on other occasions during the tournament, but for not coming on even during the match. The Inter captain did not play a single minute.

Scaloni‘s decision was dictated by the physical problems that affected both starting central defenders, Lisandro Martinez and Romero, as well as the sending off of Enzo Fernandez shortly before extra time. However, there is a statistic that highlights the importance of the Nerazzurri player for the Albiceleste.

During the World Cup, with Lautaro in the starting eleven, Argentina won four out of four matches. Without him among the starters, however, the team found itself trailing on four occasions. In three of these, the South American national team managed a comeback after the striker came on: against Egypt, Switzerland, and England.

The only match without Lautaro’s contribution, the one against Spain, ended with Argentina’s defeat. A statistical finding that highlights the specific weight of the Nerazzurri number 10 in the fortunes of his national team.

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