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World Cup villain or a passionate Villan? Argentina's Martinez backs up bravado with his play

 

As Gonzalo Montiel scored the winning penalty that made Argentina World Cup champions over France, Emiliano Martínez fell to his knees.

Part of it was exhaustion. Part of it was disbelief. All of it was existential joy.

Martínez’s emotions swam in a sea of self-reflection. He couldn’t quite believe it. Their goalkeeper, who had made critical saves in the final — and throughout the tournament in Qatar — had done it. He was finally a World Cup winner. The Argentinian crowd roared inside Lusail Stadium and across the globe, some possibly chanting his loving nickname based on a cartoon back when he was a youth player. “Dibu! Dibu! Dibu!”

“I couldn’t have even dreamed of a World Cup like this one,” said an emotional Martínez right after the historic victory. “I don’t have words.”

On their return to Buenos Aires, a day which had been declared a national holiday by the government, approximately five million people crowded the city’s Obelisk monument to commemorate their champions. The scenes were overwhelming as the team was celebrated in the streets. Martínez, surrounded by teammates, dancing and chanting, banging drums and signing flags, giving back to a fanbase who witnessed his greatness, helping the country earn its third World Cup and the first since 1986.

The day was so hectic that their bus couldn’t even arrive at its destination because of the crowds surrounding the highways, roads and paths. A failure from a security perspective. In the end, Martínez and his teammates were forced to take helicopters away from the crowd.

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Days later, Martínez traveled to Mar de Plata, where he was born and raised, and celebrated the victory with thousands of people, all of them jubilant for the arrival of their prodigal hero. “My dream was to bring this title to my city,” said the proud keeper as the crowd roared in the fan festival, an almost unbelievable ending to an almost implausible month.

As Argentina cheered the actual title, however, from Córdoba to Buenos Aires, Rosario and Mar de Plata (Martinez’s birthplace) and all over the world, Aston Villa fans joined them in jubilation. They had a unique bond because Martinez — the passionate, hard-working stopper who left Independiente for England when he was 18 in order to help his family — was also one of them.

“Villa fans are absolutely in love with Emi and have been ever since he walked through the door a little over two years ago now,” said Ashley Preece, head correspondent for Birmingham Mail and a beat reporter for the club. “It’s his endearing nature to be the best, how he’s battled back from where he was in his career previously and his will and drive to do anything to win. He’s living an absolute dream at the moment and long may that continue.”

Emiliano Martinez’s antics may not won over some fans, but his goalkeeping helped Argentina win the World Cup. Shaun Botterill – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

Martínez’s club career is the football equivalent of climbing the Andes. After joining Arsenal in 2010, and battling for his worth with loan after loan — from Oxford United to Rotherham, Getafe and Reading — he finally proved his worth in 2020. After an injury to Arsenal starting keeper Bernd Leno, Martinez exceeded expectations, which included an FA Cup win against Chelsea where he made crucial saves. After that victory, he was naturally reduced to tears. He thought of his family back in Argentina, his career up to that point, and the continuous need to feel he needed to prove his worth. He was putting it all out there, for the world to see.

Now a few years later, after moving to Aston Villa and becoming their first ever active World Cup champion, Martínez was celebrating his incredible achievement.

“I’m unbelievably proud and relieved,” said Neil Cutler, Villa’s former goalkeeping coach and Martínez’s mentor and friend. “When you know all the details that he put into the last three years to get to where he is now, and to achieve what he’s achieved, I just wanted him to win it. He’s dedicated his life, all his time. He is passionate, driven. People don’t really see the details behind the scenes. Those little small things that make him the man he is, the goalkeeper he is today, he’s put everything into this tournament. So it’s a massive relief, and I’m so proud.”

Cutler shares this victory as much Martínez. Both went through so much together as his arrival to Aston Villa was more than just a transfer. It was the keeper’s most important move as Cutler guided Martínez into what he is today. “Big Cuts,” as he is lovingly known, never likes to take credit. He constantly reminds us that he was merely the guide, it was all Martínez and his incredible drive.

But Martínez would disagree because he knows how much he owes his development to Cutler and Aston Villa.

So much in fact that right after the victory, when Argentina’s squad returned to the dressing room to celebrate, the players picked up their phones to call loved ones and share their moment. Martínez called his wife, kids, his parents and then, Cutler. Martínez wanted to make sure that Cutler shared what he was feeling, in that specific moment.

“He’s that personality,” Cutler said. “He doesn’t forget people. Even though I have left the football club, he recognizes that we have this bond. He just doesn’t forget people, and he’ll be like that all the way through his life, I’m sure.”

Cutler’s influence on Martínez cannot be understated. While Martinez was playing with Arsenal in 2020, Cutler conducted specific research on his statistics and technique, but he also identified a key characteristic that became the biggest selling point.

“When I saw him cry in the FA Cup final, it showed his passion and desire to win things, which is huge. It’s way up there,” Cutler said. “He is driven to be the best. You know he’s going to be driven because he wants to win it, he wants to win things, and that’s a massive thing for me. You know you’re going to put him on the pitch and he’s going to give you absolutely everything.”

There have been matches for Aston Villa, for example, when Martínez has had to play with the flu and not feeling very well. He has also had to travel thousands of miles, away from family, as he challenged himself between club and country during COVID. Hours and hours or sweat and tears, all between his native land and his adopted England. He does it because his will to compete supersedes everything, and that was evident throughout the World Cup.