Keeper Martinez may 'step aside' from Argentina

What the report says

BBC Sport reports that Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez is weighing up his international future after Argentina lost 1-0 to Spain in the World Cup final. Martinez, 33, said on Instagram that he needed to consider “how to move forward” and whether it was “time to step aside” following the defeat.

According to the BBC, Martinez played every minute of Argentina’s eight matches at the 2026 World Cup. He kept two clean sheets and conceded eight goals during the tournament. The final marked his second World Cup final appearance, after Argentina’s 2022 triumph, when he also received the Golden Glove as the competition’s top goalkeeper.

Martinez has earned 67 caps for Argentina and has been one of the most prominent figures in the national team’s recent success. In his social media post, he said he had hoped Argentina could win the World Cup again and make history, while apologising to supporters and saying he had tried to help his country and team-mates.

The BBC also noted Martinez’s club situation. He has been with Aston Villa since 2020 and is under contract until 2029, though the report says he has been linked with a summer move to Juventus. His comments matter because any decision to leave international football would remove a key player from Argentina’s post-World Cup plans and could add to wider questions about the squad’s next cycle.