Hillsborough to the World – ex-Sheffield Wednesday man’s heroics aid Lionel Messi’s World Cup win

But this evening, that’s exactly what happened after ex-Owl, Emi Martinez, who was the hero in the penalty shootout as Argentina won a penalty shootout against reigning champions, France.

Martinez has had an excellent tournament, and his loan spell at Hillsborough feels like a long time ago as fans watched him celebrate – with his teammates in blue and white – on the grass at Lusail Stadium. He also was awarded the Goalkeeper of the Tournament award.

The 30-year-old played 15 games for Wednesday whilst on loan from Arsenal in 2013/14, keeping two clean sheets and winning six games in a largely forgettable mid-table season for Stuart Gray’s Owls.

For Argentina he’s kept 11 clean sheets in 26 games, and now has both a Copa America and World Cup title to his name – an astonishing achievement given that he was out on loan with Reading less than four years ago.

Today he saved a Kingsley Coman penalty in the shootout and made some excellent saves in the game itself to play his part in victory – none bigger than his stop in the dying moments of extra time to make sure it went to spot kicks.

The last Wednesday player to win a World Cup final (even though he didn’t play) was goalkeeper, Ron Springett, in 1966 – something that won’t happen for a long, long time to come – but they can be pleased that they played a part, no matter how small, in the rise of ‘Dibu’ Martinez.

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