Of all the Martinezes — three to be precise — Argentina have, Emiliano has the most difficult job.

Vilified after conceding two goals against Saudi Arabia in the opening match last month, Emiliano became the toast of Argentine fans after making two penalty saves in the quarter-final win against the Netherlands.

He was upset with himself and had to battle nerves after the Saudi loss — there’s a picture of captain Lionel Messi calming him down before the crucial game against Mexico — but since then the Aston Villa custodian has more or less had a decent World Cup.

Someone who is known for making penalty saves, his heroics against Colombia in the Copa America semi-final last year are part of Argentina folklore, the trash-talking, hip-thrusting goalkeeper has always found a way to bring his psyche-out-the-rival skills into the mix.

Once, during an English Premier League match between Manchester United and Villa, Emiliano was seen gesturing towards Cristiano Ronaldo to take the penalty even when Bruno Fernandes had the ball in hand. A nervous Fernandes blew it over into the stands and Emiliano turned around and danced right in front of the United supporters.

Dominik Livakovic. File picture

Against the Dutch in the quarter-final, he saved attempts from Virgil van Dijk and Steven Berghuis that paved the way for Argentina’s victory. “The worst word that comes to my head is emotion. I do this for 45 million people. Making them happy like this is the greatest feeling,” an ecstatic Emiliano, 30, said after the match.

In September 2020, Emiliano was transferred to Aston Villa from Arsenal on a four-year deal. He had a dream debut saving a penalty from John Lundstram in a 1–0 home win against Sheffield United. In his first season at Villa, Emiliano equalled Brad Friedel’s club record of 15 clean sheets in a Premier League season. He was also named the Aston Villa Supporters’ Player of the Season. In January this year, Emiliano signed a threeyear contract extension and before the season started was named one of the two Villa vice-captains, alongside defender Diego Carlos.

Croatia are known as a team that is solid at the back and finding the goal may not be easy for Argentina. And if it goes to penalties, then Emiliano is the man Argentina will bank on.

“We trust Emi (as he is called by teammates and fans) but we can’t be too calm. You can practise penalties but once you’re on the pitch, emotions running high with thousands of fans, you can’t predict anything,” defender Nicolas Tagliafico said at the pre-match news conference.

Croatia have more experience in terms of tie-breakers, winning the last-16 match against Japan and the quarter-final against Brazil. And their goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic has been in rousing form.

He became the first goalkeeper since 2014 to make 11 saves in a match and no custodian has made more shootout blocks (three against Japan and one versus Brazil) than the 27-year-old Dinamo Zagreb player.

Coach Zlatko Dalic was all praise: “He (Livakovic) was the difference, he made the difference in the crucial moments, he saved us and he was there to save us. He was there to do what he’s supposed to do, he saved the first penalty and gave us confidence and less confidence for Brazil because they were afraid he’d save again.”

Dalic added: “He (Livakovic) made the difference for us over the whole match.”

“I don’t know what to say. The only thing I can say is that I’m glad that I’ve made the Croatian people happy,” Livakovic was quoted as saying after his heroics against Japan.

In the Netflix series Captains — the Chosen Few, Croatia talisman Luka Modric is seen confronting Livakovic about his form with the national team at the end of last year.

Livakovic was then under pressure from fellow goalkeeper Ivo Grbic, then on loan at Lille from Atlético Madrid, but Modric insisted Livakovic was a “great goalkeeper” who should stop being “afraid of making mistakes” after some average displays.

Livakovic has listened to his captain and the result is there to be seen.