Martínez hints at stepping back after Argentina’s World Cup final loss

Emiliano Martínez, the 33‑year‑old Aston Villa goalkeeper, posted on Instagram today, two days after Argentina’s 1‑0 defeat to Spain in the World Cup final, questioning ‘Misschien tijd om een stap terug te doen’ and leaving open the possibility of ending his international career with Argentina.

Sunday, Argentina fell 1‑0 to Spain after extra time in the WK-finale, denying the Zuid‑Amerikanen a chance to retain the title.

The loss generated strong emotion among the Argentine players, and two days later Martínez climbed onto Instagram, writing openly about whether it was time to step back.

He began his message with, “Ik droomde ervan dat we hem opnieuw zouden winnen, ik droomde ervan om hem terug naar Argentinië te brengen en opnieuw geschiedenis te schrijven.”

He continued, “De waarheid is dat de pijn moeilijk te beschrijven is.”

Later he added, “Er zijn veel dingen om over na te denken. We moeten kijken hoe we verder moeten en of het tijd is om een stap terug te doen,” and concluded, “Het spijt me zo. Ik heb echt mijn best gedaan om mijn land en mijn teamgenoten te helpen.”

Martínez has earned 67 caps for Argentinië, debuting on 4 June 2021 in a WK‑kwalificatieduel against Chili, and was part of the squad that won the 2022 WK, where he was also named the tournament’s best keeper.

Should he retire, it would close the international chapter of a career that began in 2021, peaked with a World Cup triumph, and earned individual accolades at the highest level.