The Aston Villa and Argentina national team goalkeeper is widely regarded as a specialist from the spot, with numbers that back up that claim.
Emiliano Martinez carries strong trust from Lionel Scaloni in the Argentina squad. While he made his mark at club level with Aston Villa in the Premier League, he remains an indispensable starter for the national team.
After years of waiting for a regular opportunity, Dibu finally found consistent playing time in the Premier League. That form opened the door for him to become a guaranteed figure for Argentina, especially after the standout performance at the inaugural America’s Cup in 2021.
A key moment in gaining Albiceleste supporters was his performance in the Copa America, with a memorable showing in the semi-final against Colombia that resonates with fans to this day.
Thanks to two saves against the Netherlands and a decisive stop in the final moments of the World Cup shootout against France in Qatar 2022, the 30-year-old keeper’s stature continues to rise.
THE STORY OF DIBU MARTÍNEZ
In GOAL we present Dibu Martínez’s detailed statistics for penalties and penalties converted from the twelve yards.
ALL THE PENALTIES OF EMILIANO MARTÍNEZ IN HIS CAREER
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Martínez has worn the jersey of several clubs, many in England, and his penalty record is notable: across his career, he faced 33 penalties and saved 11, translating to roughly one save in every three penalty attempts faced. These are the kinds of numbers that separate a clutch goalkeeper from the rest.
In international play, his figures are even stronger. Of the three penalties he faced for Argentina, he saved two Columbia’s Davinson Sánchez and Peru’s Yoshimar Yotún in Qatar qualifiers, as well as Arturo Vidal in the 2021 Copa América, where a rebound conversion was blocked by the keeper. One penalty he faced ended in a goal by Yeferson Soteldo in a 3-1 win over Venezuela.
When it comes to penalties stopped in open play, Martínez has had two memorable moments in his career. In a 2021 Brazilia clash with Colombia, he saved from Davinson Sánchez, Yerry Mina, and Edwin Cardona, helping Argentina reach the next stage of the competition.
Against the Netherlands, Dibu denied Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis, a pivotal contribution in Argentina’s shootout that secured a place in the World Cup semifinals in Qatar.
In the final itself, across extra time, he could not save two penalties in the shootout against France, yet he did stop Kingsley Coman in the decisive moment of the last attempt. He was later recognized as the World Cup’s best goalkeeper for his performances throughout the tournament.
Here are the numbers, independent of final outcomes or penalty trajectories:
Source: Goal