Martinez Wins FIFA Best Goalkeeper Award
During the awards ceremony in Paris, FIFA named the Argentina goalkeeper the best goalkeeper award.
Martinez made a big contribution to the 2022 World Cup. In Argentina's seven games in Qatar, the 30-year-old goalkeeper made a series of important saves, including two penalty shootouts against the Netherlands and France. Martinez is the owner of the 2022 World Cup Golden Glove award. Previously, he also helped Argentina win the 2022 Intercontinental Super Cup.
"My country can be proud of winning the World Cup after 36 years," Martinez said as he accepted the award. "For the people of Argentina, it's more emotional when faced with a difficult year financially. I would like to thank my family, members of Aston Villa, the Argentina national team and coach Lionel Scaloni, who gave the gift. opportunity for me. When asked who was my idol as a child, I remember my mother used to clean buildings for eight, nine hours and my father's lifelong job. They were my idols." .
Following Martinez, respectively, are Yassine Bounou (Morocco) and Thibaut Courtois (Belgium).
Bounou helped Morocco become the first African team to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup. On that journey, they only conceded three goals, including a 0-2 defeat to France in the semi-finals. In the bronze medal match, Bounou and his teammates lost to Croatia 1-2.
Courtois was instrumental in bringing Real to the 2022 Champions League. The Belgian goalkeeper made many important saves in defeats against PSG in the round of 16, Chelsea in the quarter-finals, Man City in the semi-finals and Liverpool in the final. . Courtois also won the Champions League Final Player of the Year award.
Martinez is the first Argentine goalkeeper to win the FIFA Best Goalkeeper award. In the previous five awards, wins have gone to Gianluigi Buffon, Thibaut Courtois, Alisson, Manuel Neuer and Edouard Mendy.
Also in the award ceremony of The Best 2022, Martinez's teammate Lionel Messi won the Best Male Player award, Scaloni became the best coach and Argentina fans were the fans of the year.
