2024 FIFA The Best Awards: Argentina star Emiliano Martinez wins The Best Men's Goalkeeper award
Aston Villa and Argentina star Emiliano Martinez has won The Best Men's Goalkeeper award at the 2024 FIFA The Best Awards in Doha, Qatar. The 32-year-old shot-stopper has now become the award's first two-time winner, having also claimed it in 2022.
Emiliano Martinez had a stellar 2023-24 season, recording 15 clean sheets in 47 games for Aston Villa. He was instrumental in helping the club finish fourth in the Premier League with 68 points. The Villans also qualified for the Champions League for the first time since it was rebranded in 1992.
For Argentina, Emiliano Martinez proved his mettle once again by helping La Albiceleste win the Copa America 2024 - their third consecutive major international trophy.
Martinez's most iconic moment in the tournament came in the quarter-finals when he made two saves during Argentina's penalty shootout against Ecuador. He finished the tournament with five clean sheets, including one in the final against Colombia. The Aston Villa superstar won the Golden Glove and was named in the 2024 CONMEBOL Copa America Best XI.
This year, Emiliano Martinez competed against fellow nominees Gianluigi Donnarumma, Andriy Lunin, David Raya, Unai Simon, Mike Maignan, and Ederson for the award. He topped the poll with 26 points as Ederson (16 points) and Unai Simon (13 points) secured podium finishes.
The 32-year-old shot-stopper also won the Yacine Trophy at the 2024 Ballon d'Or ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris in October.
Emiliano Martinez dedicated his Copa America quarter-final heroics to Lionel Messi
Emiliano Martinez made back-to-back penalty saves against Ecuador in the Copa America 2024 quarter-finals to steer Argentina through to the last four. After his heroic performance on July 4 at the NRG Stadium, Martinez dedicated his two saves to Lionel Messi.
After the quarter-final clash, Martinez opened up about his performance between the sticks. He said (via @AlbicelesteTalk on X):
"I owed [the saves] to Leo Messi, I owed it to him. He saved us in the [2022 FIFA] World Cup, he won it, he was the best of all in the World Cup, and when things don't go his way... he was coming off a very strong injury in his adductor, and I felt like I had to help him when he missed the penalty."
Martinez then explained his mindset before making those saves.
"I didn't put pressure on myself; I just said, 'I'm going to help him, and that's what he deserves'. I spent so many years working for this, and that we're playing another semi-final is thanks to him," added the Argentine shot-stopper.
Argentina defeated Canada in the semi-final and Colombia in the final to claim their second consecutive Copa America.