World Cup 2022: Emiliano Martinez's penalty shootout mind games help Argentina to victory

All the speech earlier Sunday's unthinkable World Cup last betwixt Argentina and France was understandably astir Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, but by the end, different sanction was connected everyone's lips - Emi Martinez.

While Argentina's takers did their occupation by calmly converting each 4 of their spot-kicks, Martinez stepped up to interruption French hearts.

Mbappe had scored 2 penalties successful the crippled truthful determination was small astonishment helium converted France's archetypal of the shootout, though Martinez was not acold disconnected getting a manus to it.

From past on, though, the Aston Villa goalkeeper took centre stage.

He went the close mode again to contradict Kingsley Coman, earlier the caput games were ramped up to further unsettle the French players.

As Aurelien Tchouameni walked up for his turn, possibly already feeling the value of expectation, Martinez rolled the shot distant from the Real Madrid midfielder, forcing him to person to locomotion implicit to cod it.

There is simply a connection for specified antics by Martinez that can't beryllium stated here, but they had the desired impact arsenic the 22-year-old Tchouameni dragged his punishment wide, prompting a creation reminiscent of Alan Pardew's mesmerising moves successful Crystal Palace's 2016 FA Cup last against Manchester United.

Emiliano Martinez saved Kingsley Coman's punishment successful the shootout against France

He past channelled his interior Alan Pardew with a small creation aft Aurelien Tchouameni swept his punishment wide

That enactment Argentina wrong touching region of a archetypal World Cup since 1986 and, though Randal Kolo Muani fired location France's adjacent penalty, it lone delayed the celebrations from the South Americans arsenic substitute Gonzalo Montiel scored to footwear disconnected the party.

BBC Sport's pundits astatine the crippled were each successful statement that Martinez's antics played a immense portion successful the victory.

"There is nary uncertainty helium had a monolithic interaction mentally successful the shootout," said erstwhile England midfielder Jermaine Jenas.

Ex-England striker Alan Shearer added: "He was trying to upwind them up, helium was kicking the shot away, helium was talking to the players, helium was putting arsenic overmuch unit arsenic imaginable connected them."

Former England defender Rio Ferdinand said: "Even his movements down the line, helium was moving, trying to drawback the oculus of the idiosyncratic striking the ball."

Emiliano Martinez helped Argentina support cleanable sheets against Mexico, Poland and Croatia astatine the World Cup

The crippled whitethorn person not adjacent got to a shootout if not for a superb prevention by Martinez successful the last seconds of other time.

Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate deed the shot guardant and Muani raced through, lone to beryllium denied by Martinez who rushed retired to adjacent down the spread earlier spreading himself retired to artifact the finish.

It was 1 of a fig of large saves Martinez made successful Qatar, earning him the tournament's Golden Glove grant for the astir cleanable sheets with three.

He has surely had a large interaction successful his abbreviated clip with the nationalist team. Since making his debut past twelvemonth helium has helped Argentina triumph the Copa America and present the World Cup.

He has had to beryllium diligent for his vocation to footwear off. Martinez spent 8 years astatine Arsenal, going retired connected indebtedness six times and playing conscionable 11 Premier League games for the Gunners, earlier joining Villa 2 years agone and increasing successful stature.

"I person nary words for it. I was calm during the punishment shootout and everything went arsenic we wanted," Martinez said aft Sunday's final.

"All that I person dreamed of has been achieved."