Inter striker Lautaro Martinez has revealed that he insisted on taking the fifth penalty for the Argentine national team in the shootout against the Netherlands in the World Cup quarterfinal yesterday.

Speaking to Argentina reporters, via FCInterNews, the Nerazzurri striker explained that he personally asked Albiceleste coach Lionel Scaloni if he could be the one to take the penalty that sent the team through to the semifinals.

Martinez had immense pressure on his shoulders when he stepped up to take Argentina’s fifth penalty in their shootout against the Netherlands.

The 25-year-old will have known perfectly well that if he scored his spot kick then Argentina were through to the semifinals, whilst if he were to miss then everything would be back to square one.

The Inter striker showed great calm to slot his spot kick past Dutch keeper Andries Noppert, and for his part he had always wanted to be the one in that position.

“It wasn’t up to me, but I told the coach that I wanted to take it and they gave me the fifth penalty,” he explained.

“I’m happy because I came on, I got the decisive penalty and it helped us get to the semi-finals, which was what we wanted.”