Emiliano Martínez has revealed that he is considering his international future after Argentina fell short in the FIFA World Cup Final, noting that he needs to evaluate whether it is currently “time to step aside.”
The Aston Villa shot-stopper played a pivotal role in Argentina’s triumph in Qatar four years prior during a thrilling penalty shootout win against France, and he stood tall once more on Sunday by keeping Spain scoreboard-free until extra time. Ferran Torres eventually slipped the ball past Martínez, preventing Argentina from creating history with consecutive World Cup crowns.
According to The Mirror, Martínez becomes the latest key figure for Argentina to share a message with fans on social media in the wake of the painful loss.
Having made 67 appearances for his nation, the 33-year-old indicated that Sunday’s contest in New Jersey might have been his final appearance for his country.
“I dreamt we’d win it again, I dreamt of bringing it back to Argentina and making history once more,” Martínez shared in an Instagram post.
“The truth is, the pain is hard to explain. There are many things to reflect on and how to move forward, and if it’s time to step aside.
“I’m so sorry, I truly tried my best to help my country and my teammates.”
Argentina and Martínez were pushed into a grueling position when Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernández was sent off late in regular time. Having endured relentless pressure from Spain all game without recording a shot on target until the 116th minute, they finally caved in extra time.
The final whistle was overshadowed by ugly altercations as Argentine tempers flared, leading to Nahuel Molina and Leandro Paredes lashing out at opposing players.
Their conduct drew sharp criticism from Wayne Rooney, who argued that their actions in prior games rendered this outburst predictable. The BBC pundit remarked: “Does it surprise you? It doesn’t surprise me. We’ve seen this with Argentina before.
“It’s just not the reaction you want. We’ve seen some of the reaction after knocking England out in the last round. That’s just sad. If you lose a game of football, be graceful and get out of there. It’s really poor from them.”
