Dibu's heroism during the World Cup

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez played through the World Cup with a fractured finger sustained 20 days before the tournament, refusing surgery and enduring severe pain throughout.

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez revealed the extent of his sacrifice during the recent World Cup, playing through a fractured finger he sustained just 20 days before the competition began. In an interview, Martínez disclosed that the finger injury affected him at a level of 10 out of 10, forcing him to play with one arm like "a zombie" until the day before Argentina's match against Algeria.

The Chelsea goalkeeper described the agony in detail: he could only throw with one arm, and any contact with the finger caused excruciating pain. "I would cry until midnight because my finger looked like a blood sausage," he said. Every ball that came his way risked further damage—he feared any direct impact on the fingertip could cause it to burst completely. Despite having to wear a bag over his hand in the shower and screaming in pain when putting on his glove, Martínez emphasized he would do it all again, exemplifying the sacrifice Argentine players make for their national team.