Argentina's goalkeeper Emiliano "Dibu" Martínez has received widespread praise from global media, despite his country's loss to Spain by a goal to nil after extra time in the 2026 World Cup final.
The Washington Post confirmed that Martinez delivered a "historic match," noting that he played while suffering from an injury to his right finger. Nevertheless, he saved 11 shots, a figure described as a record in World Cup finals, before conceding a goal to Ferran Torres in the 106th minute.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the Argentine goalkeeper made 12 crucial saves during the match, confirming that he was the main reason Argentina held firm against Spain's dominance. However, the relentless pressure and numerous chances made it almost impossible to keep a clean sheet until the end.
The Guardian awarded Martinez a high rating, considering he saved the Argentina national team from a larger defeat with a series of outstanding saves, noting that the numerical disadvantage after Enzo Fernandez's red card at the end of regular time, along with Spanish dominance, made his task even more difficult.
Most reports agree that Martinez was Argentina's best player in the match, having saved a number of dangerous chances against Spain, who dominated the game with 20 shots, before Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the second extra time.
Despite the criticism aimed at some Argentine players for their actions after the final whistle, most media outlets distinguished those behaviors from Emiliano Martinez's performance, who exited the final with widespread acclaim, having been one of the standout stars for the "Tango" team in the match.
