Martinez: ‘We felt them going backwards’ – Keeper’s inside view of Argentina’s semi-final miracle

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For 84 minutes, Argentina’s World Cup dream hung by a thread. Then Emiliano Martínez watched from his goal as everything changed.

The Argentina goalkeeper, who has spent 16 years in English football with Arsenal and Aston Villa, offered a unique perspective on Tuesday’s dramatic semi-final comeback after his side’s 2-1 victory over England. His intimate knowledge of the opposition gave him a front-row seat to the tactical shift that turned the match on its head.

‘We Dominated the First Half’

“It was crazy,” Martínez said, still processing the 92nd-minute winner that sent Argentina to Sunday’s final against Spain. “I thought we played really well in the first half. We dominated them.”

Argentina controlled possession and tempo from the opening whistle, with Lionel Messi pulling the strings and England struggling to find their rhythm. But the Three Lions remained dangerous in their own way – a threat Martínez knew intimately.

“We know how strong they are in set-pieces and how physical they are,” he explained. “I’ve played there for 16 years and I know them really well.”

The Unexpected Blow

The breakthrough came against the run of play. Anthony Gordon, who Martínez knows from their Premier League battles, met Morgan Rogers’ cross with a clinical finish in the 52nd minute. England had one player in the box – and they scored.

“They went in front with one cross into the box with only one in the box and they scored,” Martínez recalled. “We had the experience of coming back from losing positions.”

That experience was hard-won. Argentina had already trailed against Cape Verde in the round of 32 and Egypt in the last 16, twice finding late equalizers before prevailing. The squad had been battle-tested in the most unforgiving circumstances.

The Moment Argentina Felt England’s Fear

Then came the tactical shift that decided the match.

“They started defending a little bit deeper and that gave us a bit of an advantage through the lines,” Martínez said. “Getting Messi on the wing was the key for us.”

The Argentina captain, who had been crowded out through the middle, drifted to the left flank, where he found space to operate. From there, he created both goals – a 25-yard rocket from Enzo Fernández in the 85th minute, and a curling cross to Lautaro Martínez for the winner deep into stoppage time.

“We felt it,” Martínez said emphatically. “We felt them going backwards and backwards rather than going forward. Sometimes when you are winning, you have to go forward anyway. You can’t change the gameplan. I think they did it and they put extra defenders.”

His analysis was borne out by the numbers. After Gordon’s goal, England dropped more than 15 meters deeper on average, inviting Argentina forward. Thomas Tuchel introduced defensive substitutes to protect the lead. But in doing so, they surrendered the initiative – and Argentina pounced.

A Goalkeeper’s Sixth Sense

Martínez has faced England’s attackers countless times in the Premier League. He knew their strengths and their limitations. He knew how they would react to pressure.

“Gutted for the boys, gutted for everyone – the team, the staff, the fans,” England captain Harry Kane said after the match. “When we went 1-0 up we seemed to try and hold on, which at this level is not enough.”

Martínez saw that fear in real time. From his position at the opposite end of the pitch, he watched England retreat deeper, surrender possession, and abandon their gameplan.

One Final Hurdle

Now Argentina faces Spain in the final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium. Martínez will be reunited with his former Arsenal teammates and will face a Spanish side that knocked out France 2-0 in the other semi-final.

But for now, he is relishing the moment – and the lesson his team has learned.

“We’ve come back from worse,” he said. “We trust each other. We trust our game. And we know that this shirt demands everything we have.”

Sunday’s final will be Argentina’s chance to become the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups. And if they succeed, it will be in no small part because they sensed their opponent’s fear – and refused to let it go unpunished.