Inter striker Lautaro Martinez feels some regret that he did not have the kind of impact he’d have wanted to personally at the World Cup in Qatar, but is still happy for how the tournament ended.

Speaking while being awarded a special honour by his hometown, via FCInterNews, the 25-year-old Nerazzurri striker looked back on some mixed feelings after winning the World Cup with Argentina.

In the end, everything worked out for Martinez and Argentina, as the Inter striker helped the Albiceleste to lift the World Cup trophy for the first time since 1986.

However, the role that the Inter striker played in his country’s triumph was perhaps less significant than many would have expected.

Despite coming into the tournament as the Albiceleste’s starting striker and a key player in attack for them, Martinez was benched for Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez and finished the tournament without a goal or assist to his name.

“It’s a unique, incredible feeling,” Martinez said of winning the World Cup.

He characterized it as “A moment I dreamed of experiencing, lifting the World Cup after 36 years without it was every Argentine’s dream.”

“With the difficult circumstances we’ve experienced in this country, the whole situation caused by Covid, many families who have lost relatives, jobs, this dream has been more important than ever.”

“We dreamed of winning it to make all Argentines happy,” Martinez said, “we’re glad that we were able to offer this bit of joy.”

“It will be something that every Argentine celebrates, we have twice as much to celebrate this Christmas.”

“Living through this will be something I enjoy for a long time,” the Inter striker went on.

Martinez noted that “Maybe I didn’t have the World Cup I expected to, physically I was dealing with ankle problems and I wasn’t playing calmly.”

“But I still did a lot to help my teammates when I had the chance to,” he continued.

Martinez noted that “After the loss to Saudi Arabia, we really solidifed as a group.”

“Starting the World Cup in that way was obviously not what we wanted, it was difficult to process that defeat, but it made us stronger.”

“We played six finals since then.”

“Now we will remain in history and no one can take that away from us,” he said.

“Since the coach has given us the opportunity to represent the shirt, there has been a clear message to us – the group before the individual,” Martinez emphasized.

“It was necessary for us to put Argentina in the place it deserved.”

“It’s incredible to think that we beat Brazil at the Maracana, Italy at Wembley, and now France in Doha, you just have to enjoy it.”