Emiliano Martínez spent a decade on loan before becoming world champion
Emiliano Martínez signed for Arsenal as a teenager in 2010 and then spent years being shipped out: Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, Wolves, Getafe, Reading. He was 27 before he became Arsenal's first choice. Within three years he had won the World Cup with Argentina and was named the world's best goalkeeper.
Born in Mar del Plata on 2 September 1992 and known as Dibu, he came through Independiente's youth ranks and was invited to a trial at Arsenal shortly after turning 17. His first league appearance came on emergency loan at Oxford in May 2012, a 3–0 defeat. Flashes of promise followed; in 2014 a faultless clean sheet against Borussia Dortmund earned him a place in UEFA's team of the week. At Rotherham in 2015 his reflex saves helped the club avoid relegation and made him a fan favourite, but a thigh injury later cost him his place at Wolves.
The break finally came in June 2020, when Bernd Leno was injured against Brighton. Martínez kept the job for the rest of the season, and in the FA Cup final he made key saves against Chelsea as Arsenal won the trophy for a 14th time, leaving him in tears. Told Leno would return, he said he would stay only as first choice.
Aston Villa bought him that September in a deal worth up to £20 million, and on debut he saved a penalty. His 15 clean sheets that season matched Brad Friedel's club record, and his 34 in his first 100 Premier League games beat the Villa mark of 33 set by Mark Bosnich and Friedel. In 2024 he saved two penalties in a shoot-out against Lille to put Villa into a European semi-final.
Internationally he waited until 2021 for a first senior cap, then won the Copa América that year, the 2022 World Cup and the 2024 Copa América, taking the best goalkeeper award at all three. He is the only keeper to win The Best FIFA award twice, in 2022 and 2024.
Source: Emiliano Martínez
