February 27, (THEWILL) – Emiliano Martinez has been named Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper at the prestigious ceremony held in Paris.
Martinez was a key player in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup victory, making a number of crucial saves and displays of gamesmanship to guide the team to their third world championship.
Martinez made a vital stop during extra time of the World Cup final against Kolo Muani of France before Argentina went on to win the match on penalties. He was also superb in two penalty shootouts, helping his country to lift the trophy.
Accepting the award, he thanked his family, his club, Aston Villa and the Argentina team for their support and inspiration. However, Martinez’s post-match celebrations generated some controversy after he made a number of jokes at the expense of defeated France star, Kylian Mbappe. On a positive note, both players have since played down any supposed rivalry.
Martinez has since returned to Villa, where he played a key role in their recent 2-0 victory over Everton.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
