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On Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium, all eyes will be on Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, but the World Cup Final could be decided by the two people standing in the center of the nets wearing gloves.
Few World Cup finals have featured two goalkeepers who embody such dramatically different personalities as Argentina’s Emi “Dibu” Martínez and Spain’s Unai Simón.
One thrives on chaos, turning every save into theater. The other disappears into the background until the moment the match demands he step into the spotlight.
Martínez is one of soccer’s greatest showmen. He helped drag Argentina to the 2022 World Cup title with one of the most iconic saves in tournament history, stretching out his left leg to deny France’s Randal Kolo Muani in the dying seconds of extra time before making a game-winning save in the penalty shootout that led to him winning the Golden Glove Award. He celebrated that award in unforgettable fashion, cradling the trophy below his waist in a gesture that instantly became one of the most controversial images in World Cup history.
“I conceded three goals in that Final. Usually that means you lose, not win,” said Martínez. “But I was able to make that save in the 123rd minute on that breakaway against France. I can concede three goals, but the next play, I have to be the exact same ‘Dibu.’ Pressure doesn’t weigh down on me.”
Everything about Martínez is oversized. His emotions. His celebrations. Even his appearance. Dibu dyed the side of his hair in the light blue and white of Argentina’s flag. When asked about his personality on Friday, Dibu directed the packed auditorium at the Fanatics FanFest in New York City to his new Netflix documentary.
“Watch my Netflix film. That’s where you’ll understand everything about me. It’s a must-watch I tell you,” he said with a big smile.
He may be a jokester, but on the pitch, he relishes every psychological battle with his opponents, especially in penalty shootouts.
“I feel really calm,” he said of his secret. “People think good goalkeepers need to make great saves, but that’s not true. You need to simplify things. It’s all in your mind. I need to remain calm for my teammates, but be aggressive.”
His counterpart’s personality is the exact opposite.
Simón has built one of the world’s best careers by avoiding attention rather than chasing it. The son of a Spanish Civil Guard officer and a Basque police officer, he carries himself with quiet discipline and remarkable emotional control. He deleted his social media accounts years ago because he said endless praise and criticism clouded his thinking. His silence has become his strength.
Simón entered this World Cup by setting the record for consecutive minutes without conceding a goal before Belgium finally broke through in the quarterfinals. Overall, Spain has surrendered just one goal in seven matches, while recording six clean sheets.
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“Unai Simón has shown his ability in this tournament,” Germany legend Oliver Kahn said recently. “He’s a very calm guy, a good footballer, a good sweeper-keeper. He’s reliable and that’s the most important factor for a goalkeeper. The team must have the impression that they can rely on him.”
Kahn sees something entirely different in Martínez.
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“He’s a more aggressive goalkeeper with great posture, great presence on the field and enormous reflexes,” Kahn said. “He has this conviction that, ‘I’m one of the best guys in the world because I saved the World Cup for my team in 2022.’ ”
Neither approach is wrong. They’re simply opposite roads leading to the same destination. One goalkeeper is a thunderstorm. The other is a mountain.
On Sunday, with the World Cup hanging in the balance, only one style will leave New Jersey carrying the Golden Glove and, perhaps, the biggest trophy in sports.
Source: New York Post
