The Sports Gazette Today on newsstands it dedicates ample space to Lautaro Martinez on the day dedicated to the Ballon d’Or nominations. Today the Argentine will be announced as one of the 30 finalists in the extended list, a bare minimum for those who dominated the season, not in one world, but in two. From Italy to South America. Lautaro, in fact, will climb very high in the rankings, up there in the clouds: the latest rumors have him firmly in the top 10 and, why not, close to the high nobility of the best 5. Given that in his curriculum he had a maximum of 20th place in 2023, when the Champions League evaporated at the most beautiful moment with City, the leap forward is sensational.
It is clear that the favorites for first place are others, Bellingham and Vinicius first and foremost: the penalty shot on the Moon at the Metropolitano perhaps prevented him from really aiming to succeed Messi, his teammate in the national team and the last Ballon d’Or winner. For once, Toro was not just a cavalier servente for Leo, but a general of equal rank: in the America’s Cup he dragged him, with a sting in the final against Colombia. With the new triumph in the national team he has healed the old wound of the World Cup in Qatar, underlines the Gazzetta dello Sport.
His growth has been parallel to that of the Nerazzurri, who have become tyrants in the league and are not so far from the best in the Champions League. It is no coincidence that in the top 30 today there will also be the name of Hakan Calhanoglu (not Barella) and Yann Summer he may also be a candidate for the Yashin award for best goalkeeper. Lautaro may not have the strong wind that always blows from Madrid on his side, nor the allure that surrounds Guardiola’s disciples, but this Toro shines like gold: now everyone knows it, that’s what matters.