Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez had an unceremonious end to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Argentine picked up an injury as his team lost the final 1-0 to Spain after extra time in the final.

La Albiceleste had booked their place in the final via a dramatic 2-1 comeback win over England in the semi-final. Lionel Scaloni’s team had trailed in that game until the 85th minute, before goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez, both set up by Lionel Messi, kept their World Cup hopes alive.

Argentina made three changes to the starting XI for the final against La Roja. Gonzalo Montiel replaced Nahuel Molina at right-back, while Rodrigo De Paul returned to the starting XI at the expense of Leandro Paredes.

Meanwhile, Nicolas Gonzalez was preferred to Giuliano Simeone. Lisandro Martinez, who had played 72 minutes against England, retained his place in the starting XI, making his first World Cup final appearance.

Argentina undone by Spain

Spain looked the livelier side in the opening minutes of the game, although they failed to break a resolute Argentina defence. The reigning champions did have moments of their own, but it was a fairly even first half of football.

Unfortunately, Lisandro Martinez’s involvement in the World Cup final ended in the 44th minute, when he picked up an injury and had to be replaced by Nicolas Otamendi. The game remained 0-0 at the break.

La Roja, however, hit a higher gear after the break and pinned Argentina back to the wall. La Albiceleste, meanwhile, were not helped by the injury to Cristian Romero, who had to be replaced by Facundo Medina in the 70th minute.

Things went from bad to worse for Argentina when Enzo Fernandez received his marching orders after picking up a second yellow in the third minute of second-half stoppage time. Argentina held on to ensure that the match headed to extra time, but Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute to secure a monumental victory for Spain.

United ace picks up injury in the grandest stage

Martinez had a mixed outing in the World Cup final until his unfortunate injury. The Argentine was outstanding in the opening stages of the tournament, but was not at his best in the semi-final against England.

The Butcher also had a nervy start to the game and struggled to assert his dominance on the pitch. The 28 year old had 31 touches in the game, registering 29 passes with a 76% passing accuracy.

Martinez was involved in five duels, but won only two of them. He also lost possession seven times and gave away one foul.

The Argentine registered two clearances, one interception and won one foul. He was dribbled past twice in the game, and picked up a yellow card in the 41st minute and left the pitch with an injury shortly after.

Lisandro Martinez Stats vs Spain

Final Thoughts

Martinez initially appeared to have brushed his fitness issues aside at the tournament, having started seven of Argentina’s eight games, but things have now taken a complicated turn. United fans will hope that his injury is not serious and he can be fit for the start of the season.

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Manchester United had one player involved in the bronze medal match at the World Cup.

Kobbie Mainoo reportedly injured his back in training before the match and was not even on the bench for the tie against France.

Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford got the nod from Thomas Tuchel and started on the left wing.

The English forward’s future is still very much up in the air as his release clause has expired, with nobody offering the required amount.

The 28-year-old is expected to return to pre-season training with Manchester United after his holiday, and boss Michael Carrick is said to be open to working with him.

Match vs France

Rashford only played the first 45 minutes of England’s outrageous 6-4 win over France to claim the bronze medal.

Nonetheless, within these 45 minutes, England raced into a 4-0 lead at half-time, where Rashford was heavily involved.

His biggest contribution was a clever assist for Bukayo Saka, when he kept his cool in the penalty area to pick out the Arsenal winger before he scored his opening goal.

Rashford also missed a one-on-one chance and produced a stunning piece of skill to set himself up for a long-distance pile driver that was well stopped by Mike Maignan.

In the match, he had one assist and completed three key passes.

The winger also completed 90% of his passes but could not connect with either of his crossing attempts.

Rashford was a real threat down the wing and completed two of his three dribble attempts successfully, not giving the French full-back time to rest.

He made three progressive carries but also put in a bit of a shift defensively, winning two ground duels.

Marcus Rashford stats vs France

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Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez is set to feature in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final following Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 win over England in the semi-final on Wednesday, 15 July.

Martinez headed into the game in excellent form, having started five of La Albiceleste’s six matches before the semi-final. Martinez even set up Lionel Messi’s goal and then scored himself in the hard-fought 3-2 win over Cabo Verde in the Round of 32.

Martinez also retained his place in the team in the 3-2 win over Egypt in the Round of 16 and the 3-1 victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals. That set up a mouth-watering semi-final tie against bitter rivals England, marking the first time Messi had come up against the Three Lions in his career.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni made just one change to the team that got the better of the Swiss in the previous game, with Giuliano Simeone coming in for Rodrigo De Paul. Martinez, as expected, kept his place in defence, continuing his excellent partnership with Cristian Romero.

Argentina secure another comeback win

England and Argentina played out an even first half, with both teams reluctant to give an inch on the pitch. The Three Lions, however, took the lead in the 55th minute through Anthony Gordon.

As has been the norm this tournament, La Albiceleste stepped up a gear after falling behind. Scaloni turned to his attacking options, and Argentina’s constant pressure ultimately paid off in the dying embers of the game.

In the 85th minute, Messi found Enzo Fernandez unmarked, and the Chelsea midfielder unleashed a venomous shot to level the scores. La Pulga then found Lautaro Martinez, who had come on for Nicolas Tagliafico in the 81st minute, with an inch-perfect pass in the second minute of injury time. The Inter Milan man scored the winner to send fans across the world into a frenzy.

While England threw everything at Argentina in search of a late equaliser, the reigning champions held on to secure the win.

United man has a quiet night

Martinez had an unusually quiet day on the pitch, and struggled to make an impact in the game. The Argentine was involved in four duels, winning just one of them, while also losing possession twice.

The Butcher had 46 touches of the ball and attempted 41 passes with a 98% passing accuracy. The 28 year old failed to register any key passes and did not attempt a long ball or any crosses.

He managed four clearances but was dribbled past once. Martinez had been heavily involved in Argentina’s attack in the previous games, but failed to make any impact in the final third against England.

The United man could not register any shots or dribbles in the game, and also picked up a yellow card. He was ultimately replaced in the 73rd minute by Nicolas Otamendi.

Lisandro Martinez Stats vs England

Final Thoughts

Martinez’s progress to the World Cup final will delight United fans, who will hope that the player can return with the big prize. The Argentine remains a key figure for the Red Devils, and his experience at this summer’s spectacle is likely to benefit the Premier League giants as well.

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Lammens travelled to the World Cup as understudy to the great Thibaut Courtois and was not expected to take part, but an injury to the 34-year-old in the quarter-final against Spain saw the United youngster take to the field in the 70th minute.

With the game evenly poised at 1-1, in the 88th minute the 24-year-old spilled a straightforward shot, allowing Spain’s Mikel Merino to knock in the rebound and clinch victory for the European champions.

In an exclusive interview with The Peoples Person hosted by NetBet Online Betting, former England international and one of United’s greatest ever defenders, Gary Pallister, discussed the incident and what it might mean going forward.

Criticism rife

“He’s getting a lot of abuse online and that’s the nature of the game these days;” Pallister said. “Right now, he’s going to take some flak for that.”

“I’ve been in that position before. As a defender, you’d expect your keeper to save it, and you’d probably sit back on your heels. As a forward, you’re more in tune and more likely to follow it in, which the lad did and he got his rewards.”

“That might only happen one in 20, 30 shots, that the keeper spills it like that and he’s taken a gamble and it’s paid off for him.”

United must support Lammens

“Hopefully he’s got the mental strength,” The Ramsgate native said. “I’m sure he’ll get plenty of help from the lads when he gets back to United and back into training. But it’s difficult when you’ve got the hopes of a nation on your shoulders and you are the one that makes a mistake and it gets your team sent home in such a big game.”

“He’ll wear that for quite a long time, I would imagine, until he gets the chance to redeem himself. But at United, I think he’s strong enough to put that behind him. He’s shown that he’s got a good mentality in his short time at United. I think he’ll be fine, but it will be a little bit of baggage for him.”

Strength in depth

Karl Darlow has been signed from Leeds United as Lammens’ backup. We asked Pallister if he thinks that’s enough strength in depth. Might Lammens experience second season syndrome, especially if his World Cup gaffe affects him?

“He’s had a terrific first season,” the former centre-back replied. “It’s hard to find good goalkeepers. I thought we’d have been buying [Emiliano] Martinez last year, the Argentinian keeper, and you know about his character. We know he was a top goalkeeper, got the top award at the World Cup last time. And you know, his character is unquestionable in terms of the mentality of playing for big teams and in big games. We didn’t get him.”

“So there’s a lot of questions asked of Lammens, but he’s answered them,” he said. “He’s had a terrific first season. There’s always that danger of a second season syndrome, you never know for sure what damage has been done and whether he takes that baggage into the next season, but watching him, I think he’ll be okay, and that’s all.”

The first part of our exclusive interview with Gary Pallister, on Youri Tielemans, is available here.

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Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has reached the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following Argentina’s dramatic 3-1 win over Switzerland on Saturday, 11 July. The left-footed defender has been indispensable for the reigning champions at this summer’s spectacle, featuring in five of the six games so far.

Martinez has been relatively injury-free this year and played a major role in the Red Devils’ march to third place in the Premier League table last season. The Butcher suffered an ACL injury in February last year, which kept him out for almost the entire first half of the 2025/26 campaign.

However, the Argentine was outstanding for the English giants after his return in November and has continued that run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He helped La Albiceleste keep clean sheets in the first two group stage games before being rested for the third match against Jordan.

Martinez was outstanding in the 3-2 win over Cabo Verde and assured against Egypt in that remarkable 3-2 comeback victory. The United man understandably retained his place in the starting XI against Switzerland, as Lionel Scaloni named an unchanged starting XI for the tie.

Argentina secure another gritty win

Switzerland started the game stronger, but it was Argentina who took the lead in the 10th minute through Alexis Mac Allister. The European nation, however, refused to back down and continued to pile the pressure on reigning champions’ defence.

Their perseverance finally paid off in the 67th minute when Dan Ndoye equalised, but disaster struck five minutes later when Breel Embolo received his second yellow card for simulation. Nevertheless, the Nati took the South American giants into extra time, and even kept them at bay in the first half.

Their spirit, though, was finally broken in the 112th minute when Julian Alvarez scored a spectacular goal to send his team ahead once again. Lautaro Martinez, who had replaced Rodrigo De Paul in the 85th minute, then scored in the first minute of injury time to seal the deal for La Albiceleste.

The reigning champions have now set up a semi-final against England at Atlanta Stadium on Wednesday, 15 July. Lisandro Martinez, meanwhile, has once again shown why he remains central to United’s plans next season.

Another assured outing from Martinez

Martinez has made a habit of being heavily involved in Argentina’s games, and it was no different against Switzerland either. The Butcher registered 97 touches of the ball, with only Leandro Paredes and Lionel Messi managing more, and attempted 77 passes with an 84% passing accuracy.

He attempted seven long balls, although only one found its intended target, but displayed some impressive footwork during the game. The Argentine won nine of his 12 duels but lost the ball 12 times.

Martinez was once again assured at the back, registering two clearances, four tackles and one interception. The Butcher also made a spectacular last-man tackle, although the opposition ended up being offside. Meanwhile, he was not dribbled past even once in the entire game.

While the United defender has been decisive in the final third as well in recent times, he did not register any key passes in the game. However, the player did manage a shot on target, a stunning acrobatic attempt, and also completed three dribbles, joint-most in the match alongside Messi.

Lisandro Martinez Stats vs Switzerland

Final Thoughts

Martinez is proving once again what an invaluable asset he can be for United in the years ahead. While his fitness remains a concern, INEOS should consider opening contract renewal talks, given that the Argentine has entered the final year of his contract.

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Manchester United have had numerous players involved in World Cup action over the past month.

Players involved

Matheus Cunha, Amad and Lisandro Martinez all scored their first ever World Cup goals.

Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford could both be in action for England tonight against Norway, and Lisandro Martinez will almost certainly start for Argentina against Switzerland.

Senne Lammens debut

Lammens had spent the entire tournament on the bench as the legendary Thibaut Courtois kept goal for the Belgian team.

Unfortunately, during Belgium’s 1-2 defeat to Spain in the World Cup quarter-final, the Real Madrid keeper had to go off injured in the second half.

Lammens came on to make his World Cup debut and just his third appearance for the Belgian team.

He began his performance confidently enough, but disaster struck in the 88th minute with the scores tied at 1-1.

A shot by Pau Cubarsi was spilt by Lammens, and he could not react quickly enough as Arsenal’s Mikel Merino was on hand to fire in the winner.

He made a total of two saves, including a decent hold on a fierce Marc Cucurella shot, but unfortunately, he will only remember his error which led to the winning goal.

His pass percentage was just 54% as he was asked to play the ball long at most opportunities so Belgium could escape the intense Spanish press.

Reaction

Commenting on Lammens’ error, the usual number one, Courtois, was full of support for his compatriot and teammate.

He claimed, “I gave him a big hug. He’s a great goalkeeper. You only get stronger from this.”

The club’s official X site also threw their backing behind their keeper and stated, “head up, Senne. We’re all with you.”

Belgium’s #FIFAWorldCup run comes to an end in the quarter-finals

Head up, Senne. We're all with you pic.twitter.com/aWR0tyHZay

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 10, 2026

Senne Lammens stats vs Spain

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Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez continued his golden run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by helping his nation secure a dramatic 3-2 win over Egypt in the Round of 16. The Argentine retained his place in Lionel Scaloni’s starting XI following a masterclass against Cabo Verde in the Round of 32.

Martinez set up Lionel Messi to score the opening goal of the game, and then found the back of the net in the first half of extra time in the 3-2 win over the Blue Sharks. The Butcher has been outstanding at the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far, carrying his impressive form with United to the summer’s spectacle.

Martinez starred in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria in the first group stage game, and also stood out in the 2-0 win over Austria in the group stages. While the United man maintained his position at the heart of the backline alongside Cristian Romero, Scaloni made three changes to the starting XI for Tuesday’s game.

Nicolas Tagliafico replaced Facundo Medina at left-back, while Leandro Paredes and Julian Alvarez were drafted in for Thiago Almada and Lautaro Martinez. Scaloni was determined to avoid an upset following the untimely exits of Portugal and Brazil from the Round of 16.

Argentina had to dig deep to secure win

Argentina arrived at the game as the overwhelming favourites but were stunned when Egypt took the lead through Yasser Ibrahim in the 15th minute. The reigning world champions rallied but failed to break Hossam Hassan’s resolute side.

Egypt dealt with everything that La Albiceleste threw at them and appeared to have doubled their lead in the 60th minute through Mostafa Ziko. However, the goal was ruled out due to a foul on Lisandro Martinez in the build-up.

Ziko, though, put the ball in the back of the net in the 67th minute, sending Egypt to the brink of securing a place in the quarter final. However, Argentina rallied through Messi, who set up Romero in the 79th minute and scored himself four minutes later.

Enzo Fernandes then secured the winner in the third minute of second-half injury time to help La Albiceleste register a memorable comeback victory.

United man continues golden world cup run

Martinez had another assured outing with his national team, adding to his impressive run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Butcher had 76 touches of the ball and completed 51 of his 54 attempted passes for a 94% passing accuracy.

The Argentine registered three long balls, two of which found their targets. However, both of his crosses failed to reach a team-mate. The 28 year old managed seven clearances and two interceptions, and also won two tackles.

Martinez won seven of his nine ground duels and one of his two aerial duels. He had one shot, which was off target, and also registered one successful dribble.

Lisandro Martinez Stats vs Egypt

Final Thoughts

United need leaders in the dressing room following Casemiro’s departure, so Martinez’s experience at the World Cup could prove invaluable to the club next season. Fans, though, will hope that the Argentine can return to Old Trafford free from injury in preparation for a vital campaign.

Lisandro Martinez’s game by numbers vs. Egypt:

94% pass accuracy
76 touches
23 carries
11 passes into the final third
9 ground duels contested
7 ground duels won
4 tackles attempted
4 tackles won
2 fouls won

Having a top tournament. pic.twitter.com/OQrHBp34M6

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) July 7, 2026

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Manchester United have had numerous players involved in this edition of the FIFA World Cup.

Amad, Matheus Cunha and Lisandro Martinez have all opened their goalscoring account in the world’s most glamorous international tournament this summer.

Noussair Mazraoui

Mazraoui may not have scored a goal for his nation in this tournament but he has been crucial.

The full-back was outstanding for his side as they won the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year and has kept up his sensational form for Morocco.

Playing at left-back, he has started in four of the Atlas Lions’ five matches.

Performance versus Canada

Morocco certainly did not have the game all their own way as they suffered, especially in the first half against the co-host Canadians.

Nonetheless, three second-half goals saw the Moroccans finally ease into the quarter-finals, where they have a mouth-watering tie with France.

Mazraoui made an incredible 14 defensive contributions in the match, but won just one of his three tackles.

He did make an outstanding 10 clearances and blocked one effort that was goal-bound.

The United defender came out on top in an incredible eight out of nine ground duels and won four of his six aerial battles as he dominated the Canadian attackers.

Mazraoui was not really required to do much attacking in the match but did complete 83% of his passes.

He completed one successful dribble, but he was unable to connect with his only cross attempt.

Mazraoui will take on France on Thursday evening, looking to guide his side into consecutive World Cup semi-finals.

Noussair Mazraoui stats vs Canada

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Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez continued his outstanding World Cup with another stellar display in Argentina’s 3-2 win over Cabo Verde. The 28 year old returned to the starting XI for Lionel Scaloni’s side after being rested for the 3-1 win over Jordan in the final group stage game.

Martinez marked the occasion by registering a goal and an assist and helping his side progress to the Round of 16. The Butcher has been a rock at the back for La Albiceleste at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and his performances highlight why he is so highly rated by United fans. His efforts have now earned him praise from Argentine press as well.

Argentine press lavishes praise on United ace

TYC Sports gave Martinez a 9/10 rating, hailing him as the star of the match, adding: “We can already say that Lisandro is having a brilliant World Cup. Argentina needed that long ball, and there was Licha, with surgical precision, delivering a 50-metre assist.”

“But he also needed it on numerous occasions to start moves, and he did so flawlessly, showing great judgement. And when it mattered most, with the match reaching a fever pitch, he struck with a stunning goal. An unforgettable match.”

Ole, meanwhile, labelled the Butcher as a defensive stalwart, stating: “Another defensive stalwart. Unbeatable, quick and reliable. A goal and an assist. He stood out with his passes. In the 28th minute, he played a perfect long ball to catch the opposition off guard and break down their defence, allowing Messi to open the scoring.”

“At 1–1, the ball unfortunately went through his legs. But if he’d been worried about that, he made amends three minutes into the first half of extra time by scoring to make it 2–1.”

A flawless first half

The United star also received a 9/10 rating from La Pagina Millonaria, who wrote: “A superb assist for Messi when the game simply wouldn’t open up. A flawless first half. He took his eye off the ball for a moment during the move that led to Cape Verde’s goal. He was caught up for a while in the team’s sluggishness and paid dearly for that lapse in concentration.”

“From then on, he faded and began to hesitate when coming off his line; he wasn’t as bold, and got caught up in the general confusion. It was only for a short while. He bounced back with an unstoppable strike in the opening minutes of extra time to make it 2–1.”

Martinez’s playmaking abilities were also highlighted by Clarin, who stated: “Licha Martínez, the playmaker playing as a defender, played a pinpoint pass with his left foot to Messi, the playmaker playing as a striker, who controlled it perfectly with his left foot and slotted it into the top corner.”

Meanwhile, acclaimed Argentine journalist Gaston Edul also took to X to praise Martinez, adding: “Lisandro Martínez was the standout.”

Final Thoughts

Martinez is coming off an impressive second half of the campaign with United. The Argentine missed the beginning of last season with an ACL injury picked up in the 2024/25 campaign, before returning to full fitness in November.

Lisandro Martinez Stats: 2025/26 Season

Martinez was soon back to his best and became indispensable under Michael Carrick, playing a key role in United’s third-place finish in the Premier League table. The ball-playing central defender has carried that form to the summer’s spectacle as well and is now one of Lionel Scaloni’s most trusted players.

Argentina sufrió pero pasó. Lisandro Martínez fue la figura. Lo ganaron los centrales.
Se lo notó afectado físicamente. Cabo Verde estuvo más entero. Era un partido difícil.
Es un aviso: el Mundial no perdona. Le faltó ritmo a la Selección pero sacó adelante el partido.

— Gastón Edul (@gastonedul) July 4, 2026

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Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez was as decisive as Lionel Messi in Argentina’s gritty 3-2 win over Cabo Verde in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. La Albiceleste arrived at the game in good form, having won all three of their group stage games.

Lionel Scaloni made nine changes to the starting XI that secured a 3-1 win over Jordan in the final group stage game. Among the players recalled was Martinez, who has been rock solid for the reigning world champions at this summer’s spectacle.

Martinez was excellent for Argentina in the opening group stage game against Algeria, helping keep a clean sheet in the 3-0 win. The Butcher also helped his national team remain impregnable against Austria, where they secured a 2-0 win.

Scaloni simply opted to rest Martinez against Jordan in the final game, with qualification to the knockouts secured. The 28 year old enjoyed a stellar second half of the campaign for United and on Friday, he showed why he remains firmly in Michael Carrick’s plans ahead of the new season.

Martinez inspires Argentina victory

Argentina were up against a compact Cabo Verde side who afforded them little space in the final third. That was until Martinez delivered an inch-perfect long ball to Lionel Messi, who scored his record 20th World Cup goal to send Argentina ahead in the 29th minute.

However, it was hardly a comfortable night for La Albiceleste, who were stunned when the Blue Sharks equalised through Deroy Duarte in the 59th minute. Despite Argentina’s best efforts, Cabo Verde took the game to extra time. That was when Martinez stepped up again.

In the 92nd minute, the ball fell to Martinez from a Messi corner. The United man took one touch to steady himself and unleashed a finish that underlined his all-round ability.

Cabo Verde were not done, though, as they equalised again through a stunning strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral. However, an own goal from Diney in the 111th minute broke their hearts and enabled Argentina to progress to the Round of 16.

United man proves his worth for Argentina

Martinez turned out to be decisive for Argentina at both ends of the pitch on Friday. The Butcher was heavily involved, managing 131 touches of the ball, second only to Enzo Fernandez (133).

Martinez attempted 120 passes with an astonishing 98% completion rate and registered one key pass. He also created one big chance, which Messi converted, while five of his six attempted long balls were accurate. The Argentine had one shot on target and completed one dribble.

Martinez was near flawless at the back and was not dribbled past once in the entire game. He registered six clearances, one interception and one block. The Butcher won one of his two ground duels and two of three aerial duels, but lost possession four times.

Lisandro Martinez Stats vs Cabo Verde

Final Thoughts

Martinez showed once again why United can rely on him to marshal the backline next season. However, with the Argentine’s contract due to expire in 2027, perhaps INEOS should plan for renewal talks soon.

Lisandro Martinez’s game by numbers vs. Cape Verde:

98% pass accuracy
74 carries (!!!)
21 passes into the final third (!!!)
6 clearances
4 ball recoveries
5 progressive carries
0 x dribbled past
1 goal
1 assist

WHAT A PLAYER. pic.twitter.com/LHylYNQEQj

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) July 4, 2026

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