Emiliano Martinez was the hero for Argentina during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He kept three clean sheets, made multiple crucial saves, and excelled in the penalty shootouts against the Netherlands in the Quarterfinals as well as in the FIFA World Cup final against France.
Despite having the same number of clean sheets as Morocco's Yassine Bounou and England's Jordan Pickford, FIFA’s Technical Study Group chose to give the trophy to Martinez courtesy of his performance in the final. And after receiving the coveted trophy — with some earlier recipients being Manuel Neuer and Iker Casillas — his celebration was... unique if not anything!
See the video here:
His celebration was very similar to the one he did after winning the Golden Glove award during the Copa America in 2021, and many fans believe that he was definitely egged on by his teammates to do that celebration.
He was a hero in the semifinal of that tournament, defeating Colombia in penalties, and after doing the same against the Netherlands in the Quarterfinals, Martinez entered the final shootout with utmost confidence, and this was evident with the mind games he played with the Frenchmen, which ultimately paid off.
Martinez, who only made his international debut for Argentina before their triumphant Copa America campaign in 2021, has established himself as a cult figure in the Argentina squad. If he is not denying goals or saving penalties, then he is playing mind games with the opponents, and this definitely hurt France on the night that it mattered the most.
He got a hand on Kylian Mbappe's penalty but the power on the shot was more than enough to take it into the goal. But from then on, it was his stage to shine. Martinez jumped the right way to deny Kingsley Coman and then celebrated as he had already won the trophy, egging the fans on as the next Argentine walked up to take the penalty. Then came 22-year-old Aurelien Tchouameni, and Martinez did not spare the youngster as well.
As the Real Madrid youngster walked up to take his penalty, Martinez rolled the ball away from him, forcing him to have to walk over and collect it again. It was enough to break his concentration, as Tchouameni dragged his shot wide, as Martinez did a dance that can only be explained in unsavoury words for the French fans.
It was enough to take the Albiceleste to the brink of glory after 36 years, and after Randal Kolo Muani calmly converted his penalty, Gonzalo Montiel scored the goal that gave the fiery goalkeeper and his cooler friend Lionel Messi the coveted trophy that they have been craving.
