Arsenal tried three times, but it never went well enough to give him a real opportunity. Why Emiliano Martinez came to Europe in 2010at eighteen, but he has experienced more apprenticeship than international competitions. The Gunners have often used him for the league cups, or in the FA Cup, without however giving him a prominent position. In the ten years of membership with the Londoners he has made 38 appearances and conceded 40 goals, winning two FA Cups with the last one as a protagonist.
In 2019-20 he seemed like he could finally be the starter. A ten-year chase and then the choice to buy Aaron Ramsdale, taking away once again his ability to defend the goalposts continuously. Yet he had “stolen” the place of Bernd Leno, another for whom a lot of money had been spent.
Obviously it is not his club history that makes him known and become one of the best goalkeepers in history. He is not technically, that’s clear, but he won two Copa Americas as a starter, the final against Italy at Wembley, the World Cup as number one against France, hypnotizing the opposing players on penalties. He did it when he freed himself from Arsenal, going to Aston Villa. The best choice for his career, considering how much he has managed to string together over the last few seasons. Today Emiliano Dibu Martinez turns 32.