Although the football world championship 2022 was particularly strongly personified by one person, to Lionel Messithe goalkeeper became a controversial cult figure in the championship hype Emiliano Martinez.
With his party hype, Martinez made himself the protagonist of numerous social media memes.
Martinez also became a celebrated national hero, whose path to become the national team’s number one defender has been particularly emotional and difficult.
Questionable ventilation and “a minute of silence for Mbappe”
After the World Cup final, Martinez was awarded the golden glove for the tournament’s best goalkeeper. Martinez celebrated his award in a way that has been described in various media as lewd, obscene, vulgar, indecent or inappropriate.
Even Argentinian magazines such as La Nacion (you will switch to another service)considered the actions of the hero guard unnecessary and childish.
“Oh no,” had been the reaction of the Fox Sports announcer, while on the BBC Gary Lineker stated: “No, don’t do that, Emi”. ‘s narrator Matti Härkönen demanded a fine for the cooper.
Expert in goalkeeper training Eemeli Reponen well aware of the twists and turns of Martinez’s difficult career. Over the years, Reponen himself has been able to listen to Martinez’s views.
– Whatever happened, it took a lot of weight off my shoulders, Reponen reflects on Martinez’s behavior after the match.
– It probably also tells quite a lot about the goalkeeper’s life. There is one at a time at the goal mouth, the competition is really tough. Martinez has felt that he has been treated unfairly and that he deserved more. It feels like things came out from somewhere deep in the soul.
Martinez’s gesture was not entirely new. Martinez made a similar statement the previous year, when Argentina had defeated Brazil in the final of the South American championship tournament and he had been chosen as the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
Spanish site AS says (you switch to another service)that Martinez commented on his activities after the World Cup final to the Argentinian radio channel La Red.
– I did it because the French audience booed me.
More water to the mill came from Argentina’s dressing room, where the players sang and celebrated with the expected boisterousness. In the middle of the victory dance, Martinez demanded a minute’s silence for France’s number one star For Kylian Mbappewho became the second player in history to complete a hat trick in the World Cup final.
– Emiliano Martinez and the Argentines make fun of Kylian Mbappe, headlined a French newspaper, for example L’Equipe (switch to another service).
Such were the villainous hooks of Martinez in the rough competition
Martinez’s award for the best goalkeeper divided opinion. In the goal of Argentina, who defended perfectly, he blocked seven shots and conceded eight goals in seven matches. For example, Croatia Dominik Livakovic made 24 saves in seven matches and conceded seven goals.
In any case, Martinez made a few crucial saves in the tournament, such as in the quarterfinals against Australia in extra time in Argentina’s 2–1 victory.
In the overtime of the final overtime, France Randal Kolo Muani got to grips with the keeper, but Martinez stretched out for a great foot save.
– This match is one of the all-time classics. So many twists and turns, but this save from Martinez was the biggest, English defensive legend, now TV pundit Jamie Carragher your tweet (you will go to another service).
In the semifinals between Holland and Argentina, there were plenty of hot feelings. Even during the penalty shootout, several warnings were issued.
Martinez continued his mental warfare in the World Cup final. Not all the villain’s hooks were visible in the TV pictures, but you can watch them from a tactical angle in the video at the main picture of the story.
The first leaders of the ranked competition, Mbappe and Messi, succeeded. After that it was France’s turn Kingsley Coman. The video shows Martinez walking towards the penalty spot and Coman. Referee Szymon Marciniak comes in between. Martinez parries Coman’s jab and winds up furiously.
Then Argentina Paulo Dybala succeeds. French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris returns the ball to the referee, who again moves it to the penalty spot. That’s when Martinez sees his moment. He steals the ball, bounces it and walks towards the goal.
When France’s next leader, Aurelien Tchouameni, has come to the draw, Marciniak blows the whistle and demands the ball back. Martinez tosses it far to the side. Tchouameni picks up the ball – and shoots wide.
Then Argentina succeeds Leandro Paredes, who arranges to air with Martinez. Referee Marciniak has learned from his mistake and is currently going to get the ball under his arm near the goal.
Of course, that doesn’t stop Martinez from going towards Kolo Muan, who is next in line. Martinez yells and screams. Marciniak tries to get Martinez to his goal, to no avail. Marciniak resorts to a yellow card.
Kolo Muani succeeds, but does so next Gonzalo Montiel tooso the party in Argentina can begin.
In Eemeli Repose’s opinion, the importance of Martinez’s action in the penalty shootout was extremely great. In addition, there was Lloris, who is not known as a great keeper among the fans.
– Martinez is a master of provocation. Everyone, especially in England, knows him. In every single penalty kick, he tries to take the opponent’s thoughts somewhere else, tries to mentally win the situation.
Reponen, who will start at the beginning of the year as an expert on goalkeeper coaching skills at the Finnish Football Association, knows that Martinez has clear plans for his activities. Nowadays, teams analyze the actions of their opponents very carefully in advance in case of penalty kicks.
However, for Martinez, scouting opponents is not that important. He wants to trust his own intuition and take control of the situation. That’s why he has taken matters into his own hands with Arsenal’s coaching in his career, Repone knows.
Reponen knows that, first of all, Martinez is trying to elicit even a small reaction from his opponent, which could reveal something about his intentions before the bet. Secondly, Martinez uses phrases like “I know where you shoot” or “I’ve seen the videos, I know you shoot in the bottom right corner” when provoking.
Long years at Arsenal and gamble move – ‘They didn’t deserve me’
Emiliano Martinez joined Arsenal in 2010 when he was 17 years old. He has since said in interviews that he was not ready yet.
He left for England without playing a single match in his home country for Independiente’s representative team. He would have hoped to make a breakthrough in his home country first.
– My family was in financial difficulties. I agreed to the transfer more for that reason than for the sport, Martinez has said For El Pais (you switch to another service).
Martinez made his Arsenal debut in the 2012 League Cup 6–1 win against Coventry. The second match with an Arsenal goal was a sad one, although Arsenal ended up winning 7–5 in the follow-up match against lower league level Reading.
Loan deals followed one another: Oxford, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, Wolverhampton, Getafe and Reading.
Until the 2019–20 season, Martinez got his place on the screen at Arsenal Bernd Leno due to a knee injury. At the end of the season, Martinez lifted the FA Cup trophy with tears in his eyes.
After the 2019–2020 season, Martinez moved to Aston Villa in the Premier League, whose goals have convinced him. He has signed an extension contract with the club until 2027.
– I still love everything about Arsenal, but I felt I didn’t get the confidence I deserved, Martinez explained his transfer For Sky Sports (switching to another service).
Martinez stated that the move was a “gamble” but he wanted another step because Arsenal pilot Mikel Arteta didn’t promise playing time despite some great catches.
– I felt that they did not deserve me when they treated me like that.
Argentina finally found a number one goalkeeper
Martinez, now 30, became one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League. At the same time, Argentina finally got a number one goalkeeper.
When Lionel Scaloni became the head coach after the 2018 World Cup, he tried seven different goalkeepers until Martinez made his debut with the national team in the summer of 2021 in the World Cup qualifying match.
Since then, he has turned Argentina into a Copa America winner and world champion. Martinez has played in 26 matches, including 17 clean sheets. The only defeat came in the opening group of the World Cup against Saudi Arabia.
Martinez flinches with his vents and psyching up his opponents, but in interviews he appears humble. After the World Cup victory, the tears of the man who had traveled a long way were unleashed.
Martinez wanted to remind how he started his career from poor conditions when he was young. He said he dedicated his winnings to his family.
Martinez has said that he prepares himself for the mental test of matches with mediation and breathing exercises. After the loss to Saudi Arabia, he publicly said that he needed the help of a psychologist.
Before the final’s tough competition, he had only told his team that he was going to fight off some tough guy, head coach Scaloni revealed.
– I did my job, I did what I had dreamed of. In those moments, I have to give peace to my teammates, Martinez said.
Reading, which Martinez represented on loan, also enjoyed the World Cup final. “But would he do well on a cold and rainy Tuesday night in Stoke”, is often joked about the world’s star players.
– Yes, you will be fine. March 16, 2019, a memorable save By Sam Vokes bet, a goalless draw and an important point thanks to the clean play of Emi Martinez, who defiantly stood in Reading’s goal, Reading wrote in your open letter of recommendation (you move to another service) for Martinez before the World Cup final.
Former professional player Diego Latorre already said at the end of 2021 According to ESPN (you will be transferred to another service)that Martinez, who overcame the national team’s goalkeeper worries, should be named Argentina’s player of the year.
“He has conveyed a security and confidence that we haven’t seen in a long time, and he has become one of the most important leaders in the dressing room.
Argentina beat Colombia on penalties in the semi-finals of the South American championship tournament in the summer of 2021. Martinez saved three of the Colombians’ toughs. Messi hailed Martinez as phenomenal.
Before the match, Martinez told one of Colombia’s leaders:
– You look nervous, you laugh, but you are nervous. I’m going to eat you.
La Nacion (you will switch to another service) sums it up perhaps aptly: “Martinez, the paint patron who lives with the personalities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”