Manchester United defender Lisandro Martínez has opened up about his struggle during his recovery from a torn ACL, admitting that he contemplated stepping away from football at his lowest point.
“In the first two or three weeks, I felt like quitting football entirely. I had already suffered a foot fracture, and then came the knee injury… I thought, ‘That’s enough, I don’t want to deal with this anymore,'” the Argentina international shared in an interview with AFA Estudio.
The 2022 World Cup champion’s injury troubles began with a foot issue at the end of the 2022-23 season, which limited his appearances to just 11 in the Premier League the following year.
In February 2025, he sustained a torn ACL that required surgery, keeping him out for 10 months.
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“Whenever I get injured, I completely lose my balance due to the immense pain,” Martínez explained.
“My immediate thought was to return to Argentina to be with my family. I just wanted the suffering to end and to enjoy life again. But when you’re in that state of imbalance, you say things you don’t truly mean. I went through a phase of mourning for three weeks where I didn’t recognize myself.”
The rehabilitation journey prompted the 27-year-old to “reinvent” himself, grappling with ongoing pain and fear of not returning to his previous performance level.
“Reinventing oneself is necessary in every aspect: physically, mentally, and personally. During this time, it felt like I was no longer a football player,” he remarked.
Martínez credits his support network and professional psychological help with his resilience, but highlights the birth of his daughter as a pivotal motivation.
“What truly drove me was the birth of my daughter. I got injured just a month before she was born, and I told myself, ‘There’s no way I can give up.’ She became my motivation every single day. I approached each training session focused solely on being my best for her.”
Martínez made his return to the field on November 30 against Crystal Palace. Since then, he has gradually reintegrated into the United squad and resumed training with the Argentine national team under Lionel Scaloni, demonstrating the coaching staff’s trust in him as the 2026 World Cup approaches.
“I feel great. I was a bit surprised by how manageable my comeback has been; we took things step by step, and the club did an excellent job supporting me which made a significant difference. Physically and mentally, I’m in the best shape ever,” he expressed.
Martínez chose to seek perspective from his struggles. “I began to reflect on what this experience was teaching me: what could I learn, how could I improve personally? I viewed it as a positive opportunity. Sometimes you need to face challenges to learn and reset. You might feel on top of the world, then life intervenes to remind you to refocus.”
“It may sound strong to say ‘thank you’ to this injury, as nobody wants to suffer, but because of it, I can confidently say that I’ve changed significantly as a person. My outlook on life has deepened; I appreciate every moment more, the weather, the scent of grass, a ball, and stepping onto the pitch,” he concluded.