Lisandro Martínez, defender for Manchester United and the Argentine national football team, didn't hold back and stated that the Albiceleste's "expectation" is "clearly to win the Copa América."

"We are hungry, we know the importance of wearing this jersey. We go step by step, match by match; this is our philosophy. We are prepared for this great tournament," Martínez said in a virtual press conference organized ahead of Sunday's friendly in Chicago against Ecuador.

"Our expectation is clearly to win the Copa América," he added.

Martínez emphasized that Leo Messi's presence in their squad gives them a huge boost in their ambition to retain the title won in the previous edition.

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"Playing with Leo is a huge plus for us. Everyone already knows what Leo is; he is the best of all, and having him on our team is undoubtedly a plus. We are very happy to share our daily lives with him," he said.

Despite the pressure the Albiceleste lives with, Martínez highlighted that there is a lot of calmness in the locker room.

"We live it very calmly, enjoying each day. We have a very good relationship with each other; when we are here, we feel at home. We see him (Messi) very happy and playing at an impressive level," he said.

On a personal level, Martínez acknowledged that winning the 2022 World Cup changed his life.

"I am still the same person, but without a doubt, there was a change after becoming a world champion. You wake up and say you are a world champion and feel immense joy for what we generated in millions of people; we made many Argentines happy," he said.

He did not rule out the possibility of playing in the MLS in the future, although he emphasized that he is totally focused on Manchester United and stated that he feels "excellent" physically.