GET A FOOT IN THE D'OR

Inter skipper Martinez is desperate for Euro glory & eager to stake a claim for top award on the biggest stage

- BY NEIL MCLEMAN X@NeilMcLeman

REAL MADRID and Vinicius Jr were not the only ones shocked by the Ballon d'Or vote last year.

Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez, who won Serie A and was top scorer as Argentina claimed the Copa America, was not even in the top six.

The closest he came to an award was handing the Yashin Trophy for the best keeper to Aston Villa's Emi Martinez.

With pace and power and an eye for goal, he is the Italian side's best hope of beating Paris Saint-Germain in Munich.

Alongside Ousmane Dembele and Gigi Donnarumma, he is one of three players in tonight's game in the final six for this year's Ballon d'Or, and he is still the most under-rated world-class player on the planet.

"I expected better than seventh place in the Ballon d'Or," Inter's Martinez said. "Sometimes these awards are unfair.

"I'm going to work even harder to improve on that position."

His case will not be helped by his club's recent fortunes.