Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has made the startling admission that he came perilously close to retiring from professional football during his recent injury nightmare. The Argentine star revealed he felt he was "no longer a football player" during the darkest moments of his rehabilitation, confessing that the mental and physical toll of a serious knee injury left him on the brink of walking away from the sport entirely.The United centre-back has bravely opened up about the profound mental health battles he faced during a devastating year on the sidelines, admitting that he seriously considered hanging up his boots. The 27-year-old, known affectionately as ‘The Butcher’ for his uncompromising style of play, showed a rare side of vulnerability in a candid interview with AFA Estudio, where he detailed the "constant struggle" to find the motivation to return to the pitch.Martinez’s confession comes after a torrid period of luck regarding his fitness. having only recently returned to action at the end of November. The defender had been out of action for nine months after damaging his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during a 2-0 defeat by Crystal Palace at Old Trafford in February. For a player who thrives on physical combat and intensity, the long, lonely road of rehabilitation pushed him to his breaking point."You feel like you're not a football player anymore," Martinez explained, describing the initial aftermath of the diagnosis. "You feel pain and think you'll never play football again. A mental and physical imbalance, which, honestly, when I think about it today, I don't know how I did it."The World Cup winner revealed that the thought of quitting solidified in the early weeks of his recovery. "After the first two or three weeks, to be honest, I didn't want to play football anymore," he admitted. "And then, of course, you become more aware, you get that support."The ACL injury was merely the latest in a cruel sequence of setbacks for the former Ajax man since his move to Manchester in July 2022. Before the knee issue, Martinez had already endured a fractured metatarsal bone in April 2023 during a Europa League clash with Sevilla. That injury required two separate operations and ruled him out for 180 days across two spells that year, significantly disrupting his integration into life at Old Trafford.The timing of these injuries has been particularly painful, forcing Martinez to watch from the stands as his teammates competed in and lost major finals. He was absent for the 2023 FA Cup final defeat by Manchester City, a loss that stung the United fanbase deeply. More recently, the knee injury sustained last February meant he missed the Europa League final loss against Tottenham Hotspur last May.Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!Martinez credits his eventual return to a combination of professional psychological support and a return to his core values. Realising that quitting would be taking the "easy way out," he sought help to rebuild his mental resilience alongside his physical strength."You need to not take the easy way out. The easy way out is to just give up and that's it," he reflected. "But, I always say, it's in the face of adversity that you show your true character. So I reconnected with myself, I reconnected with my roots, with who I am, with my values, and I gave it my all, day after day."The defender described his rehabilitation not as a medical process, but as a daily battle. "For me, it was day by day, a constant struggle, and my match was every day at the gym," he said. He emphasised the role of therapy in his comeback, noting that he worked with a psychologist to improve "in every aspect.""I clung to the people around me, my family, my friends," he added.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingNow fully fit and "feeling excellent," Martinez is eager to make up for lost time. He made his emotional comeback in a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park - the same opponents against whom he suffered his injury - closing the circle on his nightmare nine months."The truth is that with each passing month, I saw the results, I saw how I was getting stronger," he beamed. "Today, on the pitch, I feel excellent, and I say that thanks to those days, well, of suffering, of not giving up - today we have the results."Having racked up 101 appearances and scored three goals for the club despite his interruptions, Martinez remains a pivotal figure at Old Trafford. His return is a massive boost for new head coach Michael Carrick, who has taken the reins amidst a challenging season.Martinez is expected to play a crucial role this Saturday when United host bitter rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford. With his "constant struggle" now behind him, United fans will be hoping their defensive warrior can channel his renewed strength into stopping the champions.