Copa America 2024: ‘I wasn’t ready to go home,’ says Argentina’s shootout hero Martinez!
Xtra Time Web Desk: Emi Martinez seized the spotlight as Argentina’s hero in their dramatic Copa America shootout victory over Ecuador on Thursday. The match, which ended 1-1 in regular time, saw Martinez make crucial saves from Angel Mena and Alan Minda, propelling the defending champions into the semifinals.
Martinez, who had earlier energized the crowd when Ecuador’s Enner Valencia missed a penalty, emphasized his determination to his teammates before the decisive shootout. “I told the boys I wasn’t ready to go home. They weren’t either,” Martinez stated after being named Player of the Match. “We are champions of the world and of (South) America, this team deserved to go on.”
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Reflecting on the match, Martinez admitted he was swept up in the moment, especially with the Argentine fans and his family present. “We didn’t give the game that people wanted to see, but in the end, we won,” he said.
Martinez’s confidence in shootouts is well-founded, having now won all four he’s faced with Argentina, including the pivotal 2022 World Cup final against France. “I work for that, I throw myself 500 times a day in training,” he revealed. “I try to be at my best level for the national team because the country deserves it, the people who spend their money to come and watch us.”
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Teammate Rodrigo De Paul praised Martinez for his exceptional performance, saying, “The truth is that what he’s doing is crazy, he deserves it. He loves wearing these colors. He gives us a lot of security and peace of mind. We try to do the same for him, but in these important moments he is always there.”
As Argentina eyes a record 16th Copa title, they await their semifinal clash against either Canada or Venezuela.
