Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez auctions World Cup gloves to raise funds for cancer patients
In a heartwarming gesture, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez auctioned the gloves that he wore during the FIFA World Cup final against France to raise funds for a children’s cancer hospital.
“When they gave me the option to donate the World Cup gloves, I didn’t hesitate, it’s a good cause for the boys,” said the goalkeeper.
The auction was held online on Friday and Martinez participated in the online auction to sell “Dibu” via video-link from his home in England, where he plays for Aston Villa.
“The World Cup finals are not played every day, (the gloves) are special. But it helps a child much more than me having them hanging in a frame in my house,” said Martinez during the event.
Announcing the gesture the Argentine Pediatric Foundation took to Instagram and wrote “$45,000 for the Dibu gloves to help the Garrahan boys!” referring to the oncology ward of the Garrahan Hospital, the main paediatric hospital in Argentina.
Emiliano Martinez has auctioned off the gloves he wore in the World Cup final to raise over €40,000 for children with cancer.
🗣 “It’s much more important to help a child than to have my gloves stored in a box at home.”
A touch of class 🇦🇷❤️ pic.twitter.com/N2SyBoOzgV
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) March 14, 2023
Martinez had signed the inside of the gloves upon the announcement of the donation of the gloves in February.