Emiliano Martinez Net Worth: How Rich Is Argentina's Shootout Hero Who Wins the World Cup's Golden Glove Award?
Emiliano Martinez, also known as Emi Martinez, is Argentina's bad boy, who recently sparked a meme after playing with his Golden Glove award trophy following a World Cup win in a manner that would make teenagers happy. So, how much is the goalkeeper's net worth?
Aside from La Albiceleste, Martinez also plays as a goalkeeper for the English Premier League club Aston Villa.
Throughout his career, he has mainly bounced around Europe, playing for Arsenal and often getting loaned to other European teams.
However, he truly shined when playing for Argentina, winning both the Copa America and the World Cup, dazzling the world with heroic saves, and leaving everyone shaking their heads due to his antics.
We all saw how he celebrated winning the Golden Glove. The Qatari official's face says it all.
Emi Martinez explains his gesture after receiving the World Cup Golden Glove:
— Jason Soutar (@jbsoutar) December 19, 2022
"I did it because the French booed me. Pride does not work with me." pic.twitter.com/WMqLkk5l4h
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Emiliano Martinez: From Arsenal Prospect to Argentina's Golden Glove Hero
A native of Mar del Plata, Emiliano Martinez played for the Independiente youth team, and soon Europe finally came knocking. Shortly after his 17th birthday, Arsenal offered him a youth contract.
However, Arsenal often loaned Martinez to other teams, making him play for the English side Oxford United in 2012 and then for Sheffield Wednesday from 2013 to 2014.
He subsequently returned to Arsenal but was mostly unused, even when they won the Community Shield against Manchester City at Wembley Stadium in 2014.
Arsenal continued loaning him to other minor teams throughout his stay there, with the last team Reading in 2019, where he played 18 games.
Everything changed for him in 2020, as he signed with Aston Villa, becoming the team's main goalkeeper. While he was mostly underutilized in Arsenal, he soon became one of the best goalkeepers in the English Premier League with Aston Villa.
He proved to be a consistent player, and his success with the club earned him a three-year contract extension. As for his international game, Martinez has been playing for Argentina since 2011 as part of their youth squad.
However, he only really played in any major international competition in 2020 when Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, won the Copa America against Brazil in their own backyard.
His next campaign with La Albiceleste was the World Cup, where he made some of the biggest saves in the tournament, from his clutch save against Australia to his World Cup-winning penalty saves against France.
Argentina played so many penalty shootouts that the spotlight shifted from Messi to Martinez, as he was the one tasked with saving all those goals.
Despite his funny personality, Martinez proved he has ice water in his veins, saving goal after goal in high-pressure situations, as he was the one who ultimately sent Australia, the Netherlands, and France packing.
This performance garnered him not only the World Cup but also the Golden Glove award, and the rest is history. Back home, he also made fun of Kylian Mbappe during Argentina's wild World Cup victory parade.
However, Euro Sport reported that Mbappe merely shrugged off the Argentinian's taunts. Emiliano Martinez will return sometime in early January after his World Cup break, playing for Aston Villa once again.
He will either return in the club's matches against Wolves or Spurs, according to Fox Sports.
Emiliano Martinez Net Worth: How Much is He Worth Now?
According to Soccer Souls, the Aston Villa shot-stopper earns 11,058 euros ($11,826) per week.
He is one of the lowest earners in the team, but that might soon change as his World Cup performance has elevated his worth as a goalkeeper.
His current estimated net worth is around 1.5 million euros ($1.6 million). His current market value is only about 3.7 million euros ($3.94 million).
His underutilization in Arsenal has hurt his overall value, but this might soon change.
READ MORE: Argentina: 5 Best Places to Visit in Lionel Messi's Hometown of Rosario
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: EMI MARTINEZ MIND GAMES ANTICS SHENANIGANS WON ARGENTINA AND MESSI THE FIFA WORLD CUP - From NepaNinz
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