'Personal prizes come after' - Inter star Lautaro Martinez brushes off Ballon d'Or suggestion ahead of UEFA Champions League final against PSG
Published 30/05/2025 at 19:50 GMT+1
Success in the UEFA Champions League has often corresponded with Ballon d'Or success, and should Inter beat Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday's final - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - then Lautaro Martinez could potentially claim the biggest individual prize in football. Martinez has netted nine times in Europe this season as Inter bid for a fourth Champions League title.
Martinez talks Thuram partnership and lessons learned from 2023 UCL final defeat
Video credit: TNT Sports
Lautaro Martinez insists winning the Ballon d'Or will not be on his mind as Internazionale take on Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday's UEFA Champions League final, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
The Argentine has been deadly in front of goal this season, registering 22 goals in all competitions, including nine in Europe, as Inter defied expectations to reach the final, knocking out Bayern Munich and Barcelona in the process.
Champions League glory has become synonymous with success in the Ballon d'Or, and should the Italian side lift the trophy for a fourth time on Saturday, Martinez will see his name rocket up the rankings.
But the 27-year-old insists his focus is firmly on PSG, saying: "Personal prizes come after what I want to give to my team.
"The joy I want to share with my fans, after seven years that I have been here."
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Martinez, who now captains the club, joined in 2018 and has lifted the Serie A title and Coppa Italia twice each. He also won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina.
Despite that, Martinez has suffered two losses in European finals with The Nerazzurri, losing to Manchester City in the Champions League in 2023 and Sevilla in the Europa League in 2020.
"It’s the second final in three years," he added. "I want to achieve things with this team.
"I want to reach goals with the team, this is what matters."
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Road to Munich: How Inter and PSG reached Champions League final
Video credit: TNT Sports
In simple terms, Simone Inzaghi has crafted a blueprint worthy of winning the Champions League - becoming a hard to beat team with tonnes of experience, combined with plenty of firepower upfront in Martinez and Marcus Thuram.
But if Inter have firepower then Luis Enrique has built an armoury in his youthful PSG side, and Martinez knows a perfect game will be necessary to overcome then.
"The only solution is to bring out the perfect performance," the Argentine said.
"Therefore, we need to prepare the best we can for the game tomorrow so that, during the game, we can focus on what is essential, so we can put up a wall against PSG and play the game we want to play.
"What is really important is that we continue to play the football we played up until now. With the weapons we have, we can hit them where it hurts."
When is the 2025 Champions League final?
The Champions League final kicks off at 8pm UK time on Saturday, May 31.
Coverage starts from 6pm on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports Ultimate and discovery+, live from the Allianz Arena in Munich.
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