Emiliano Martinez fires back at England legends: “Talk in the studio, we’ll answer on the pitch”

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As Argentina and England prepare to renew one of football’s fiercest rivalries in Wednesday’s World Cup semi-final, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez has delivered a withering response to critics and former England players who have questioned his team’s credentials.

“Talk in the studio, we’ll answer on the pitch,” Martínez said, in a direct message to England’spundit class.

The 33-year-old shot-stopper, who moved to England as a teenager in 2009 and has spent 16 years living in the country, did not hold back when asked about the pre-match narratives swirling around the last-four clash at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“They’ve Been Saying That for Almost 20 Years”

Martínez reserved particular scorn for those who continue to devise plans to stop his captain, Lionel Messi.

“They say they’ll stop Messi? They’ve been saying that for almost 20 years,” Martínez said. “Teams have tried everything — double marking, triple marking, building entire tactics around him… and yet Leo is still standing with a World Cup, Copa América and a legacy nobody can match.”

It is a legacy Martínez himself has played a significant part in preserving. His penalty‑shootout heroics in the 2022 World Cup final and the 2021 Copa América semi-final have cemented his reputation as one of the most clutch performers in the game.

“We Don’t Carry Pressure… We Carry History”

The Argentina keeper made it clear that his side will not be intimidated by England’s squad depth or reputation.

“They say England have the better squad? Football isn’t won on paper. It’s won when the pressure arrives, and we’ve already shown we can handle those moments,” he said.

“Everyone talks about speed. I talk about character. When the game goes to the final minutes… when it goes to penalties… that’s where I feel at home.”

Martínez, who has won all four penalty shootouts he has contested for Argentina, thrives in high-stakes environments. “Where there’s pressure and things get really tough, that’s where I feel most comfortable,” he previously told reporters.

“We don’t carry pressure… we carry history,” he added. “England have great players and we respect them. But they should never underestimate Argentina.”

Personal Connection, But No Divided Loyalties

The fixture carries deep personal significance for Martínez, who has built his professional life in England. His children were born in the country, and he has acknowledged the respect he holds for the nation that has been his home for 16 years.

“The respect will be there: my children were born there, I’ve lived there for 16 years, so we just have to enjoy the match and try to win it like any other,” he said.

Yet he made clear where his loyalties lie. “I’ve been living there for 16 years, my children were born in England. I have affection for the country, but we’re going to want to win,” he affirmed.

Martínez also referenced the historic rivalry between the two nations, invoking Diego Maradona’s iconic “Hand of God” goal from the 1986 World Cup quarter-final. “It’s a special match because of the past, it’s always been a huge classic, also because of what happened with Diego,” he said.

“When Leo Goes Quiet, Football Usually Pays the Price”

Martínez saved his most ominous warning for those expecting England to neutralise Messi.

“And Messi? The more people talk, the quieter he becomes. That’s the dangerous part,” he said. “When Leo goes quiet, football usually pays the price.”

The goalkeeper also reflected on his own form heading into the semi-final. After a quiet start to the tournament, Martínez delivered a commanding performance in Argentina’s 3‑1 extra‑time victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals, making crucial saves against Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye.

“I help a lot, not only with saves — when I play with my feet, when I deal with long balls,” he explained. “I had a very good game, I felt very comfortable and I want to improve for the semi-final”.

“We’ll Keep Making Memories on the Pitch”

Martínez dismissed the pre-match rhetoric from England’s camp with characteristic defiance.

“They say England will block us and break us? We’ve heard those words before. Before Qatar, before every knockout game, people doubted us. We didn’t answer with words… we answered on the pitch,” he said.

“They can keep making promises into microphones… we’ll keep making memories on the pitch.”

Argentina and England meet on Wednesday, 15 July, at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with a place in the World Cup final at stake. For Martínez, the message is clear: the talking stops when the whistle blows.