Inter captain Lautaro Martinez admits thinking about leaving the club last summer, shortly before leading a response that ended in a domestic double. Martinez finished the 2025-26 campaign with 22 goals and six assists in 40 matches, more direct goal involvements than any other Serie A player across all competitions.
His scoring form continued in key fixtures. Martinez struck in Inter's Coppa Italia final win over Lazio, sealing the club's first domestic double since the 2009-10 season. That success contrasted sharply with the frustration that followed the 2024-25 campaign and the difficult Club World Cup experience in the United States.
The turning point came during the revamped Club World Cup, where Inter exited in the round of 16. The Nerazzurri
lost 2-0 to Brazilian side Fluminense in Charlotte, shortly after missing out on the Serie A title to Napoli on the final day of the 2024-25 season and a 5-0 Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.
After the Fluminense loss, Martinez used post-match media duties to send a stern message to the dressing room. The captain urged any player who no longer felt committed to Inter to seek a transfer that summer, a stance that drew attention across Italy and around the wider European game.
Martinez later detailed why that statement felt necessary and how the situation affected personal thoughts about a possible exit. The forward stressed that the criticism also applied to personal performances, accepting responsibility for Inter's flat finish to the 2024-25 season and the poor Club World Cup showing in Charlotte.
"I wanted to share what I saw in the locker room. I had to do it as a captain," Martinez told Gazzetta dello Sport. "Then I went on vacation, and for three weeks, I didnt train; I just ate. In fact, when I came back, I weighed a little more. Speaking in public made noise. But I also had it in for myself, because I was not blameless. "
3 - Lautaro Martnez ha segnato tre gol in finale di #CoppaItalia (doppietta vs Fiorentina nel 2023 prima di oggi), nessun giocatore ha fatto meglio con lIntera quota tre anche Hernn Crespo e Julio Cruz. Tris.OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo) May 13, 2026
Martinez acknowledged that the emotional and physical fatigue from the long cycle under Simone Inzaghi also played a role. The striker described feeling worn down by the previous four seasons and the heavy defeats that closed the 2024-25 campaign, which left questions about personal motivation and future direction.
"Then [Cristian] Chivu gave us a hand, bringing fresh air without taking anything away from Simone [Inzaghi], who made us live four wonderful years. I thought about many things, and I suffered a lot. Im not saying I asked to leave, but inside I felt that if an important offer had come in, then maybe. I was devastated. "
Ultimately, Martinez stayed and became central to Inter's response, combining leadership with decisive goals in Serie A and domestic cups. The captain's earlier doubts, the call for full commitment, and the support from Cristian Chivu now sit against a season where Inter recovered to secure two trophies and reassert a strong position in Italian football.
