The flag is flying — he waves it this way and that. The colours of his beloved country are also painted into the hair on the left side of his head. As Emiliano Martínez walked past, he called out to Lionel Messi, “Where are we going next?” He then embraced his teammates, looked up at the stands and took in the sight of thousands celebrating the 3-1 victory. From the gallery came the chant — “I am an Argentine, this is a passion I cannot stop” — with jerseys spinning in the air in unison.
Emiliano Martínez had been waiting for a match in which he could truly help the team, and his performance against Switzerland delivered exactly that — proof that he is fully ready to rescue Argentina with both hands when called upon.
In a way, it was his own form of sweet redemption. After sustaining an injury, he had to train separately for around a month and face some difficult decisions — a specialist had recommended surgery, which would have ruled him out of the World Cup entirely. He is still protecting his injured finger with a splint to prevent any further setbacks.
Martínez chose to allow the natural recovery process to run its course. That gamble paid off, and he is now playing at the World Cup. While he was not seriously tested in the three group stage matches, he did concede goals in both the round of 32 and the round of 16, which left him feeling somewhat frustrated. He felt he was not contributing to the team in the way he had promised himself he would, a sentiment he expressed after the 3-2 victory over Egypt in Atlanta — though he later said, “The media actually exaggerated my words a little.”
The World Cup-winning goalkeeper added, “I am a goalkeeper, so I want to make more saves than concede goals — but that is fine.”
He looked considerably more assured against Switzerland. Although he was unable to keep out Dan Ndoye’s shot with his left foot, Martínez produced several excellent saves across the 120 minutes using his trademark technique. He comfortably dealt with a long-range effort from Xhaka from a good position and also made outstanding saves in a one-on-one with Embolo, followed by a header from the same player and a powerful low shot from Ndoye.
Setting the benchmark higher for his own performance, the number 23 jersey holder said, “I help the team in many ways — not just by saving goals, but also when I need to play out from the back, or when I have to deal with the opponent’s long balls. The match against Switzerland went very well. I felt quite comfortable and I want to raise my level even further for the semi-finals.”
Martínez was seen again today in his familiar green goalkeeper’s jersey — a sight not seen since the World Cup final against France at Lusail Stadium in Qatar. And he was his usual self: greeting supporters in the stands surrounding Arrowhead Stadium before kick-off, and making his presence felt throughout the match. When he sensed that Switzerland were threatening and that the Argentine fans needed to lift the team, he responded to a great save by raising his hands and urging the crowd to shout louder — as if the noise in the stadium, already exceeding 100 decibels during the warm-up, could somehow go higher still.
Martínez has become a beloved figure in Argentina. After Messi, he is the only player whose name is sung by the crowd. The chants of “Dibu, Dibu” echoing around the stands clearly moved the 33-year-old goalkeeper, who now faces a particularly personal semi-final — against England, a country with which he shares a deep and special bond.
The goalkeeper, born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, moved to London to join Arsenal at the age of just 17 in 2009. After loan spells at Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Reading, he eventually settled at Aston Villa, where he has become an icon and a fan favourite.
The Birmingham club now face the prospect of losing him, with talks reportedly under way with Italian club Juventus over a possible transfer. However, Martínez has no interest in allowing such matters to distract him ahead of the Argentina-England match.
On the subject of facing England, Martínez said, “The respect will always be there. My children were born there, and I have lived in England for the past 16 years. So now it is time to enjoy this match and try to win — just like every other match.”
After accepting a small souvenir from a journalist with a wide smile, Martínez walked towards the tunnel — fully prepared to relish another thrilling contest.
