Emi Martinez joined Arsenal at 17, was loaned to Oxford and Rotherham before winning FA Cup, now Aston Villa star goalkeeper will line-up in World Cup final alongside Lionel Messi for Argentina

If there’s a footballer who stands for waiting for time, it’s Emiliano Martinez.

The Argentinian goalkeeper is set to appear in Sunday’s World Cup final and is one game away from becoming a legend.

The 30-year-old’s journey to the top of the game wasn’t easy.

He hasn’t had the luxury of playing alongside football greats like Lionel Messi throughout his career.

Much of his early professional career was spent in the lower leagues of English football.

Martinez was signed by Arsenal from Independiente shortly after he was 17. This came after a trial at the Gunners and he was initially only offered a youth contract.

He got his first taste of professional football on the final day of the 2011/12 season when Oxford signed him on an emergency loan.

A first appearance for Arsenal followed in a League Cup win over Coventry, but more loan spells were to follow.

He went to Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham, Wolves, Getafe and Reading before eventually taking his place on the Arsenal bench as Bernd Leno’s backup.

Martinez finally got his chance to shine when Leno was substituted off injured against Brighton in June 2020 during football’s Covid restart and retained his place in the team.

His performances were so good that he was even called up for the starting line-up for the FA Cup final win over Chelsea, which they later won.

After the match, he told talkSPORT how much the win meant to him. He said: “I just cried for the first 5-10 minutes… but now I’m relaxed, maybe I’ll get a replica!

“I can not explain. I’ve come far, far My family has always supported me on this path. My wife and boy, I have family in Europe now. i do it for her I never do it for myself.

“My family is locked in, so my brother was watching in a house, my father was watching with my mother.

“It’s tough for them because they wanted to be here and it’s tough for me because I wanted to see them here after a long, long time and hug them after a long, long struggle. I always do that for her.”

Despite his exploits at Arsenal at the end of this season, he joined Aston Villa for £20million as his chances behind Leno were limited.

He has already played 91 times for Villa compared to just 38 appearances for the Gunners in a decade.

Martinez also only made his debut for the national team in 2021 but has quickly established himself, winning the Copa America and the Golden Glove at the same tournament.

Now he can win the World Cup Golden Glove should he keep a clean sheet against France in the final.

It’s been a long journey for the goalkeeper, who was on loan with Reading in the Championship just three years ago.

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger expressed pride at how far Martinez has come.

“I’m very happy for him,” said Wenger. “We were aware of his enormous qualities. He was determined and had a desire to learn and a great passion for the game.

“Sometimes he was loaned out and didn’t even play, but that didn’t stop his faith and motivation.

“When I see him play now and know what he’s been through, I admire his performance even more.

“Well done Emi, we’re proud of you.”