FIFA World Cup final | Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez: Argentina player with most touches of ball

5 min readJul 20, 2026 09:39 PM Even amidst the anti-football approach adopted Argentina in the World Cup final, one man kept the Spanish armada at bay.
Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martinez, a vital element in their two Copa America titles and the 2022 World Cup glory, was singularly responsible for keeping his team in the game for as long as he did.
The golden glove winner from the 2022 edition of the World Cup cut a despondent figure as the Spaniards celebrated their second world title.
11 saves, 70 touches.
The first figure Martinez could be really proud of. The second, less so.
Having the most touches after 120 minutes of football in a team with Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, and Enzo Fernandez doesn’t paint a rosy picture of the team’s display.
Martinez is known more for producing a performance of lifetime in the 2022 World Cup final, getting the better of elite strikers in psychological battles during penalty kicks, and turning out to be a showman in crucial moments. Out of the 11 saves he made on Sunday, a few were routine but Martinez’s celebrations and theatrics made every one of them eye-catching.

Though Argentina lost the game but Emiliano Martinez won everyone’s heart 💖 All Excellent saves him in this Video ⬇️ #FifaFinal pic.twitter.com/4nwecgGC1A
— Bulletin Buzz (@Bulletin_Bee) July 20, 2026
Childhood shapes psyche
Martinez has an equal share of fans and critics in Argentina and at his club Aston Villa. He is comfortable being an antagon or anti-hero in hostile stadiums and feeds off that energy. When he is in the middle of a tense situation, Martinez’s nonchalance can throw opponents off guard.
“What people think doesn’t affect me. They can have all their opinions, good or bad, but I know who I am, the kind of person I am,” he had said in 2025.Story continues below this ad
During the UEFA Europa League final against Lille in 2025-26, he was subjected to whles and boos. He was reprimanded for his gestures against France during and after the 2022 World Cup final, that many found in poor taste. However, Martinez thrived on the energy that brought the best out of him.
“He thrives on the boos. He’s been conditioned to steel himself against people who say ‘You can’t do it’. He gets into a mindset where negativity motivates him,” former Aston Villa goalkeeper Mark Bosnich had told The New York Times.

The propensity to antagonise a bunch of people and use that energy for incredible performances has been a part of his upbringing in Mar de Plata, a coastal city on the Atlantic coast.
One of his first coaches, Jorge Peta, revealed that he used to spill shots on purpose, so that the attacker could have more attempts.Story continues below this ad
“He always used to talk a lot. He used to do tricks as a kid. If he would feel unchallenged, he would spill easy shots so that strikers can strike more,” Peta told AP.
However, the goalkeeping persona of Martinez was not the same when he arrived as a 20-year-old at Arsenal in 2012 and became the third-choice goalkeeper.
Eight years on the bench, six loans and being told that he wasn’t first-choice created a chip on his shoulder and resulted in a feeling that he needed to impose himself.
“If you look through his career and where he’s come from, he has a tinge of insecurity, which is understandable. I can understand why people think he’s arrogant but it’s insecurity disguised as arrogance. You don’t achieve what Emi has done without confidence, but I know what it is because I was accused of arrogance and deep down, it wasn’t that: it is confidence with a tinge of insecurity,” Bosnich told NYT.Story continues below this ad
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, right, leaps for a save during the World Cup final soccer match between Spain and Argentina in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Backing the arrogance
But if a player can’t back the theatrics, payback arrives soon.
After moving to Villa from Arsenal, Martinez was called up to the Argentine national team in 2021 when was 30 years old. He became a national hero during the Copa America that year after his tactics helped them win the penalty shootout against Colombia in the semi-finals.
Martinez’s imposing figure was something Argentina could rely on as they won two consecutive continental titles, which sandwiched the 2022 World Cup triumph. Throughout the 2026 tournament, whenever the team was in trouble, it was Messi who bailed them out. But on Sunday night, when he was kept quiet Spain, it was Martinez who ensured La Albiceleste had a chance.

At the age of 33, there is no guarantee he will return for the 2030 World Cup, but he will always be remembered as a goalkeeper who refused to shrink on the biggest stage.Story continues below this ad
Even in defeat, Martinez ensured the spotlight did not move away from him.