Highlighting Emi Martinez's importance in Argentina's World Cup triumph
The World Cup final delivered.
It had everything. It pitted Lionel Messi against club teammate Kylian Mbappe. It had goals, drama and the outcome that most people wanted - an Argentina win.
While the headlines will be dominated by Messi completing football and Mbappe becoming only the second player ever to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, Emiliano Martinez was, ultimately, the deciding factor on Sunday.
It isn’t the first time that this has been the case.
The Aston Villa shotstopper is an integral part of Argentina's success under Lionel Scaloni. Messi heaped praise on Martinez after his heroics in the semi-final penalty shootout victory over Colombia in the Copa America.
"We have Emi, who is a phenomenon. We know and trust him. He deserves it."
Argentina used that win as a springboard to beat Brazil in the final and claim the country’s first piece of silverware since 1993.
Martinez didn’t get off to the best of starts in Qatar. He should’ve perhaps done better for the Saudi Arabia winner as Argentina kicked off their World Cup campaign with a shock loss.
At the time, Scaloni’s men were unbeaten in 36 matches and many had them as favourites to win the entire tournament. Saudi Arabia, however, didn’t read the script and recorded a historic 2-1 win.
This loss refocused Argentina though. It meant that from matchday two, they were playing knockout football.
They kept clean sheets in three of their next five outings as they beat Mexico and Poland to get out of their group before wins over Australia, the Netherlands and Croatia to set up the mouth-watering encounter with France.
In the game against the Netherlands, Martinez saved two in the penalty shootout to really enhance his reputation as something of a cheat code in these situations.
He couldn’t repeat the trick in the final, saving just one of the penalties he faced, but his mind games definitely played a part in Aurelien Tchouameni’s miss. Martinez will also feel aggrieved not to have prevented at least one of Mbappe’s three penalty attempts from hitting the back of the net. The Argentine goalkeeper got a decent hand to two of them.
In the end, it didn’t matter. He lost the personal battle to Mbappe, but helped Argentina to victory over France. All things considered, the 30-year-old won’t mind that at all.
However, while the game went to penalties, you could make an argument that the game was won by La Albiceleste in the final minutes of normal time. Ibrahima Konate clipped a ball forward and it bypassed everyone, falling perfectly for Randal Kolo Muani who found himself in space, running towards the Argentina goal.
The Eintracht Frankfurt man did everything right in the circumstances. He put his foot through the ball but in a controlled way. Those on the France bench were on their feet and creeping onto the pitch in anticipation of what would’ve been a last-minute winner.
Martinez held his ground, tinkering on the edge of the six-yard line, before springing forward as soon as the ball left Muani’s foot. The former Arsenal man made himself as big as he could and managed to get his outstretched left foot to the effort to halt the premature French celebrations.
It is a big save anytime in the match. The fact it was in added-time of extra-time in the World Cup final, however, makes it even more special. It also plants that seed of doubt into the mind of those stepping up to take a spot kick for Didier Deschamps’ side. Timing really does matter when it comes to momentum.
That save didn’t directly win the match for Argentina, but it was at that moment that it felt as though the game was lost by France.
The Mar del Plata native delivered for his nation when it really mattered most. In fact, six of his seven saves at the World Cup occurred in the knockout stages. He may not have been the busiest, but his saves mattered.
He didn’t single-handedly do it, but Martinez played a significant part in the GOAT completing football.
