Emiliano Martinez: World Cup Hero Reveals Permanent Finger Damage

Emiliano Martinez has disclosed that his finger will never fully recover after he sustained a severe injury before playing for Argentina in their World Cup triumph. The Aston Villa goalkeeper broke and dislocated a finger during the Europa League final in May.

Martinez, 34, revealed in an interview with Argentine journalist Gaston Edul's YouTube channel that he was in distress after viewing X-rays, fearing the injury would prevent him from participating in the World Cup. Argentina's manager, Lionel Scaloni, offered support, and a decision was made to forgo surgery that would have ruled him out of the tournament.

Instead, Martinez was provided with a specialized glove by Adidas to protect the injured digit. He admitted this protective measure hindered his ability to properly grip the ball during matches. "It will never go back to how it was," Martinez stated. "I am still playing with pain."

He described the experience of playing through the injury as excruciating. "The day before Algeria I was diving with one arm, diving like a zombie," he said. "If I put my hand down I was seeing stars. It was brutal. Every single night I was crying because my finger looked like a sausage. But these are the risks you take for the national team, I’d do it again."

The injury also had professional repercussions, reportedly causing a summer transfer to Italy to fall through. "I got an x-ray and it was broken again," Martinez explained. "That is when a transfer to a club fell through because of the finger."

Martinez added that while he was told he could play with the injury and would eventually need surgery, a potential move to Chelsea did not materialize due to the ongoing issue.

Martinez is currently recovering from a separate injury, a broken jaw sustained earlier this month in a match against Everton.