Emiliano Martínez had to bite off his gum shield to continue playing for Argentina at this World Cup after injuring his finger at Aston Villa at the end of last season
Dave Martinez overcame a broken finger to play at the World Cup with Argentina
Aston Villa’s Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has revealed that he was in pain “every day” during the World Cup after breaking his ring finger before the tournament.
The incident took place on May 20 in Istanbul during the warm-up before Villa’s 3-0 victory over Freiburg in the Europa League final.
The 33-year-old wore a band around his finger to take part in the contest, but was given a suspension of up to a month.
Martinez missed the final Premier League game against Manchester City (2-1 win), and also missed Argentina’s World Cup warm-up games against Honduras and Iceland.
All the surgeons he consulted recommended surgery, but he was determined to risk his life for his country, explaining:
“Every specialist I consulted in America and England said I needed surgery, but I avoided it. I couldn’t practice during the group stage, but after the round of 16 after the Egypt game I stopped thinking about surgery and felt much better.
“The coach sent me a message (before the World Cup) saying, ‘No matter what state you are in, I want you on my team.’
“For me it means more than saving 10 penalties or being on the front page of a newspaper. And if my moment never came, it would mean just as much if I won the final.”
Martínez has been the subject of transfer interest from Juventus, but his current focus is on adding a four-star above the Argentina coat of arms for Sunday’s game against New Jersey and Spain.
Emi Martinez injures finger before Aston Villa’s Europa League win over Freiburg
He was also asked about the fact that he jokingly said a few years ago that he would retire after winning two World Cups.
“Dib” remembers the remark well, but claims it was just humor as he didn’t really believe it was possible.
Martinez continued, “Yes, I was with Nico at the AFA training center. But first we have to win. That’s the only thing I’m focused on.”
“We have improved year on year with this team, and it sometimes brings tears to my eyes just thinking about what we have accomplished. There are still moments of joy and celebration ahead.
Emi Martinez says Argentina’s win over England was his second favorite for the national team after the 2022 World Cup final (Image: Getty Images)
“I’m enjoying this World Cup a lot more than the last one. I struggled a lot after the game against Saudi Arabia in Qatar.
“We didn’t take many shots, but we conceded goals. The only time we played a decisive role was in the penalty shootout. I think we’re using our feet better now. When we step on the pitch on Sunday, you’ll see the smiles on our faces.”
“I feel very calm. A goalkeeper’s role is not just to make saves during a match. You have to come off the line and show confidence. These are aspects of football that reassure your teammates and I need to show them that I am calm.”
“Looking at that, we can focus on moving forward because they are talented players. We have been able to score a lot of goals this World Cup and so far we have conceded one less than in the last tournament.”
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