It is too early in the season for a clear Ballon d’Or winner, but Lautaro Martínez has been playing at his best since the start. The Inter Milian striker has 23 goals in 24 games in Serie A, already his highest goal tally in the league. Furthermore, Inter Milan is running away with the league title, currently 12 points in the lead with only one loss.
Inter Milan have already won the Suppercoppa Italiana, beating Napoli 1-0 in the final. In the Champions League, Inter have a 1-0 advantage heading into the second game vs Athletico Madrid and are the favorites to win the series.
So far, Martínez is on the right track to winning the Ballon d’Or, but separating himself from the competition is the biggest challenge of all. If everything goes right for Martínez, then you shouldn’t be surprised if you see him holding the Ballon d’Or trophy at the end of the season.
What does Martínez Have to do?
First of all, he has to stay consistent. Currently, Martínez is on pace to score 37 goals in Serie A, the most ever in the competition. If Inter wins the league, with Martínez breaking the record there is no doubt that he will be in the conversation for the best player in the world.
Now, to separate himself from the rest of the players in the Ballon d’Or race, he needs to perform in the Champions League. Inter has the fifth-best odds to win the competition, which doesn’t look good for Martínez, but there is one thing he can control.
Right now, he only has 2 Champions League goals, but he is still only three goals behind the top scorers in the competition. If he can somehow catch up with the top goal scorers, he’ll keep on building his case.
Even if Inter Milian doesn’t win the Champions League, Martínez being the top goal scorer of the competition makes up for that. The Champions League is a big factor in who gets the Ballon d’Or, so his performances in this tournament will be key.
Best Case Scenario
If Martínez can win the treble with Milan, while also being the top goal scorer in the league and the Champions League, surely he’ll secure his first-ever Ballon d’Or right? Well, the same thing happened last season with Erling Haaland, yet he finished second in the Ballon d’Or.
Of course, any other year Haaland would win the Ballon d’Or, but unfortunately for him, Lionel Messi won the World Cup and the voters prioritized that achievement over Haaland’s.
So, how does Martínez avoid the same fate as Haaland? Simple, he helps Argentina win the Copa America in the summer. Last season, the voters clearly showed how much importance international tournaments have on the voting for the Ballon d’Or, so this summer would be especially important for Martínez.
Argentina is the reigning champion of the tournament and is the favorite to win it again. It looks very likely Argentina will lift the trophy, and all Martínez has to do is contribute to their success.
Even if he fails to perform in the Champions League, a successful run in the Copa America would make the voters overlook that. Even being the top goal scorer in the competition could ensure he separates himself from the rest of the players.
When thinking of the best players in the world, Lautaro Martínez doesn’t come to mind, but after this season, no one might doubt his quality.