Emiliano Martinez reached a special milestone on Wednesday night as Aston Villa won the Europa League title in Istanbul. The Argentine goalkeeper played a key role as Villa beat Freiburg 3-0 and ended their 30 year wait for a major trophy.
The title also added another achievement to Martinez’s growing list of successes. He now remains unbeaten in every major final he has played since 2020.
After the match, Villa players celebrated with their families on the pitch. Martinez joined the celebrations with his wife and children. He hugged teammates and enjoyed the moment with supporters.
Before the Europa League final, there had been doubts over whether Martinez would be fit to play. The goalkeeper suffered a thumb problem and missed some training sessions before the match. Still, he recovered in time and took his place in the starting lineup.
Martinez later said his injury was not serious and would not affect his preparations for the 2026 World Cup with Argentina.
The goalkeeper lifted his first European club trophy of his career on Wednesday night. He celebrated with teammates and later joined Villa fans in singing after the final whistle.
Martinez also faced questions about his future at Aston Villa. Reports had linked him with a move away from the club at the end of the season. However, the goalkeeper said his current focus remains on his family and on Argentina’s World Cup campaign.
The 33 year old has built a strong record in finals over recent years. With Argentina, he won the 2021 Copa America after a 1-0 victory over Brazil. He also helped Argentina win the 2022 Finalissima against Italy and lifted the 2022 World Cup after beating France on penalties.
Martinez then added another Copa America title in 2024 as Argentina beat Colombia in the final.
Now he has added a Europa League medal with Aston Villa and extended his perfect record in major finals.
