On a night when Lionel Messi dazzled under the Kansas City lights, scoring his first World Cup hat-trick to defeat Algeria and becoming the tournament's joint all-time top scorer, Argentina's second most important player endured a far less memorable evening. In fact, had he been replaced by almost anyone, it would not have mattered.
While Messi lit up the Albiceleste's opening game, Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez could only watch and admire from the safety of his penalty area, with little to do beyond routine catches and clearances. The 33-year-old did not make a single save during the 90 minutes. He was beaten by an early offside effort, but otherwise had nothing to worry about. Algeria managed eight shots but failed to test the 2022 Golden Glove winner.
In truth, Martinez experienced more drama in the days leading up to the match, as questions surrounded whether a fractured finger would prevent him from starting. Yet, despite the ease with which Argentina cruised through their opener—a stark contrast to their opening defeat four years ago against Saudi Arabia—an unavoidable truth remains for Martinez.
Big Moments Ahead for Martinez
As comfortable as things were, the moments will come when, for Argentina to have any chance of repeating their 2022 triumph, Martinez must once again don his cape and deliver in crucial situations. Whether in a penalty shootout, as happened twice four years ago, or by springing from his line to deny a clean-through striker after a defensive lapse—hello, Randal Kolo Muani—there will be times in the coming month when Martinez is called upon to save his country.
And if we are honest, there will probably be several such moments. This Argentina team consists of nine outfield players and the magic of Messi, with the others carrying the defensive workload to ensure their 38-year-old talisman stays fresh and can make the difference in the final third when it matters.
“It's an advantage to have Leo [Messi], because of how he manages the group and leads it forward, because of who he is,” says Rodrigo De Paul. Former Manchester City and Argentina full-back Pablo Zabaleta adds: “You know, it is Messi surrounded by players that want to do well for Messi. They want to run as much as they can for Messi.”
Defensive Concerns
And they do run. But the defensive partnership of Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez is not without its flaws. Right-back Gonzalo Montiel had a nightmare spell at Nottingham Forest, while midfield duo Alexis Mac Allister and Enzo Fernandez both experienced up-and-down seasons with Liverpool and Chelsea respectively. The defense will be breached, and Martinez, who has a habit of making big saves in key moments on grand stages for both club and country, will need to be at his best.
“In the last one, we were lucky that, even though we were the better team in both the Netherlands and France, we had to go to penalties, and there we had 'the beast' that was Dibu who made us win,” said Messi when previewing the tournament back in December. 'The beast' will need to emerge again if Argentina are to win. His easy opening night should fool no one.
