Manchester United Legends Urge Martinez to Show Maturity Amid Ongoing War of Words
Butt went on to insist that there was no personal antagonism between him, Scholes, and Martinez, arguing instead that the comments were all football pursuits and were never meant to incite animosity.
Manchester United's Argentinian defender Lisandro Martinez (L) vies with Brighton's Dutch defender Joel Veltman (R) during the English FA Cup third round football match between Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion at Old Trafford Stadium in Manchester, northwest England, on January 11, 2026. Photo/Courtesy
By Ruth Sang
These legends of Manchester United have demanded that Martinez act maturely in this continued war of words. Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt, erstwhile midfield stars of Manchester United, advised Lisandro Martinez to simply “grow up” after the Argentine had reacted strongly to their comments regarding his physical stature; a public exchange that continues to draw interest.
The fallout has been most vociferous since the start of the Manchester derby when Scholes and Butt, in a podcast conversation, asked whether Martinez had the ability to cope physically with the power of Manchester City’s striker Erling Haaland. The two United legends jocularly suggested that the little-known Norwegian striker could go on to dominate the relatively short centre-back, even adding the quip that Haaland might “pick him up and run with him.”
The comments, though seemingly light-hearted, seemed to be taken personally by Martinez: In what was a somewhat clownish turn of events, the defender inferred in response to the two legends that they should have an audience with him in his home. It was right after Manchester United’s 2-0 victory over City, with Martinez putting on a non-defensive show against City all night, that this avalanche of words went viral.
Even if Martinez put on a great show against City, received commendations from everyone, and practically silenced the critics on the pitch, Bartz and Scholes returned to the contention weeks later in another episode of The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast. Scholes admitted that Martinez was a good part of the win in the derby but cautioned about making long-term assessments based on one strong performance.
Sometimes, said Scholes, harsh comments spur players to do better. In a jocular manner, he added that he and Butt might even get some credit for Martinez’s inspired performance. However, he stressed that his overall assessment of the defender had not altered.
In the opinion of Scholes, elite players are ultimately characterised by their consistency at the top level. While he praised Martinez’s performance in the derby as “brilliant,” he emphasised the need for consistency over a prolonged period for someone with hopes of challenging for major trophies with United.
Also, Scholes declared that he had reached out to Martinez via private message and shared his phone number but did not get any response.
Nicky Butt, on the other hand, was worried about Martinez’s reaction and wondered what it says concerning his temperament. Butt affirmed that the comments were made in jest and were not intended as a personal attack.
He maintained that players at such a high level should develop resilience since media scrutiny and public criticism are practically unavoidable. According to Butt, getting emotionally distracted by what is said is part of the game at that level and could eventually take a toll on one’s performance.
Butt went on to insist that there was no personal antagonism between him, Scholes, and Martinez, arguing instead that the comments were all football pursuits and were never meant to incite animosity.
Diminishing Martinez’s words, however, while strengthening speculation surrounding his standing as one of the best of the present, such a travesty would go on to ruin the earliest claims advanced by both in public. Scholes and Butt have, without alterations or retraction, agreed with one another on the conviction that long-term consistency, rather than emotional outbursts, will decide Martinez’s impact at Old Trafford.
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