NEW DELHI: Argentina superstar Lautaro Martinez etched his name in Argentine football history by scoring the solitary goal against Peru, equaling the legendary Diego Maradona‘s tally of 32 goals for the national team.
The 27-year-old striker is now just one goal shy of surpassing Maradona and securing the fifth spot in Argentina’s all-time top scorers list, led by Lionel Messi with an impressive 112 goals.
Martinez’s second-half volley proved decisive as Argentina solidified their position at the top of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Peru on Wednesday.
The striker acknowledged the team’s exceptional year, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement and recognizing the challenges that come with being a prominent national side.
“It was a spectacular year in terms of performance, goals, games played. We have to keep playing and improving day by day. Everyone wants to beat us. The Argentine national team is always the protagonist. There are things to improve but we have to continue on this path,” said Lautaro.
With his 11th international goal of the year, Martinez became only the third Argentine player to score more than 10 goals in a calendar year, joining the elite company of Gabriel Batistuta and Lionel Messi.
Argentina’s win extended their unbeaten streak against Peru in the South American Qualifiers to 18 games, the longest such run against a single opponent in the tournament’s history.
Additionally, the Albiceleste have kept clean sheets in 10 of their last 11 home qualifiers, highlighting their defensive solidity.
Assistant coach Walter Samuel praised the team’s hunger for success and their ability to bounce back from setbacks.
“The boys are very hungry to continue winning and competing. Sometimes it goes like it did today, and sometimes it goes like it did against Bolivia (6-0 win). We slipped up against Paraguay, but this team never hides away,” he said.