Martinez: Messi taught me how to rise from failure, and I will keep fighting for Argentina

Chelsea goalkeeper E. Martinez gave an in-depth interview on the "Edu Brothers" show.

Reporter: If you had to rate your World Cup performance from 1 to 10, what would you give yourself?

E. Martinez: Considering my injury and how I overcame the difficulties, I'd give myself a 7.

Reporter: Did that 7 take into account the extreme physical conditions you were playing in?

E. Martinez: If we had won that penalty shootout and lifted the trophy, I would definitely give myself a perfect 10. But objectively, it can only be a 6 or 7. I made no fatal mistakes at critical moments, and no basic errors that would leave people with regrets...

Reporter: At least you didn't concede any soft goals that you should have saved.

E. Martinez: I didn't make any unforgivable mistakes, and I would never use a broken finger as an excuse. I think my footwork and overall command of the area were solid. We defended extremely well against England, and I held up under enormous pressure in the final.

It wasn't a flawless performance, but my overall contribution was definitely positive. We didn't play a perfect game in Qatar either; we just executed the details better in the penalty shootout.

Reporter: In the images from Messi's farewell match, a jersey signed by the team stood out. Did you write "I kept the victory for you" on it?

E. Martinez: No, I wrote: "Thank you for making me the best goalkeeper in the world."

Reporter: Indeed, because without him leading us to the World Cup title...

E. Martinez: Without that title, who would have given me the Yashin Trophy?

Reporter: Winning the title was indeed the decisive turning point.

E. Martinez: Exactly. If we had beaten Spain in that final, I think I would have had a chance to contend for that award again. In football today, the winner takes it all. And Leo is the one who personally brought us that victory. That is undeniable.

Reporter: Comparing the France team at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with this Spain team in 2026, and leaving ourselves aside, which opponent do you think was more formidable?

E. Martinez: Purely in terms of overall team strength?

Reporter: Yes.

E. Martinez: The pressure and awe I felt from that France team were much stronger.

Reporter: Still France, then?

E. Martinez: After all, they were the defending champions at the time, their squad was in its prime, and they had a wealth of experience in major tournament finals. That intimidation was real. This Spain team was also exceptionally strong, but at the time I firmly believed we were fully capable of beating them at our normal level.

Reporter: If Messi were excluded and the Golden Ball vote were entirely up to you, who would you pick? Harry Kane recently won an award.

E. Martinez: Honestly, in this era, as long as Messi isn't on the shortlist, it seems controversial no matter who wins. Everyone has reasons why they aren't fully convincing.

Reporter: The race has become extremely tight.

E. Martinez: The competition is indeed fierce. The top two or three players each have a strong case for the award. Frankly, if Messi had led his team to defend the World Cup and the Golden Ball had been awarded to him again, I believe there would have been no dissent anywhere in the world.

Reporter: No one would have questioned it.

E. Martinez: Even if the team had ultimately finished as runners-up, he would still have been the best player of that World Cup.

Reporter: That's undeniable.

E. Martinez: Although Rodri ultimately won the World Cup Golden Ball, in my heart, Leo's decisive influence on the field remains unmatched.

Reporter: You mentioned earlier that if there were another chance to meet Spain in a game like the Finalissima, would you look forward to another thrilling showdown with them?

E. Martinez: That's a regret I can only confide to God. Losing is losing, and there are no excuses. We lost fair and square. God willing, I hope we can meet again at the next World Cup. But that's in the past, and we reached the World Cup final again. As Tagliafico said, reaching two World Cup finals in a row is a great miracle in itself. We eliminated England on our way to the final, and I prefer to look at all of this positively. Football means far more than lifting trophies. It's about leaving an indelible mark over a long career.

As world champions, we beat our arch-rivals England in the World Cup semi-finals, and we gave everything to carry the nation's pride on our shoulders. What ultimately remains is the spirit this team gave the whole country. After the World Cup, I fell into a deep low for a while and was even afraid to go home and face the fans.

My children cried and begged me, "Dad, we want to go back to Argentina." The moment I returned to my homeland, I felt a love and embrace even more passionate and profound than when we won in Qatar.

For someone who left home at a young age and worked tirelessly in a foreign land, being able to represent his country at the World Cup and receive such overwhelming love on coming home filled my heart with happiness. The week I spent in Argentina made me fully understand what it all means.

Reporter: You truly found the meaning of perseverance. In our country, it's extremely rare for people to cheer and find comfort in a runner-up finish. Argentine fans have always demanded victory, but this time, even though Argentina didn't defend the title, the entire nation still gave you the highest respect and applause. You have also quickly become one of the most beloved symbols in the national team's history. During those dark days after the final defeat, one of the biggest questions from the outside was: will Dibu keep guarding Argentina's goal? Your post-match statements left everyone in suspense. Will we see Dibu at the next World Cup? You're already the team's vice-captain. What are your thoughts?

E. Martinez: Honestly, right after the World Cup, I was in immense physical and mental pain. Sometimes the rumors on social media can really throw you off balance. I posted that update on the plane with tears in my eyes.

Reporter: You completely broke down then.

E. Martinez: Completely. But later, Leo taught me the most important lesson through his own experience: how to get back up and win everything after falling into an abyss. He suffered countless devastating blows in his career, but each time he gritted his teeth and came back, never giving up on his team, and finally ascended to the throne and became an irreplaceable legend. Running away and ending my career on a defeat would be the same as surrendering to fate.

Reporter: That would be a complete surrender.

E. Martinez: That would be throwing in the towel. It's like being knocked down by an opponent in a boxing ring. When you come to, are you going to quit boxing for good just because you were knocked down once? No, you have to get back up and fight until you win.

After returning to Argentina, going back to club training, and calmly reflecting, that fire inside me was lit again: I still have more to give to this team.

Reporter: One point in your career matches this spirit perfectly: your success didn't come early, unlike many young talents who become famous at a young age. You endured a long period in obscurity, loan spells, and playing abroad, and you climbed step by step to where you are today. Because of this, you probably cherish everything you have now more than anyone else.

E. Martinez: Yes, I was already 26 when Scaloni first called me up to the national team, and almost 27 for my debut. But I had played for my country in the youth teams since I was little, at U15, U17 and U20. I've been through it all. The Argentina shirt is already in my blood and nothing new to me, which is why I settled in seamlessly once I put on the senior team's gloves. Before I knew it, I had been guarding the goal for the first team for five or six years. Every time I put on that shirt, I want to give my all on the training pitch.

The day I feel I no longer have that 100% drive to give everything, the day I feel I can no longer make a real difference to the team, will be the day I step aside and hand the shirt over to the coaching staff. As long as I still feel that surge of passion in my chest every time I return to the national team for friendlies, and still feel the same motivation at my club, I will keep fighting.