Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez said that thinking about his team's recent success sometimes brings him to tears as they attempt to retain the World Cup trophy in the final against Spain.
Emotional Martinez
Martinez, speaking to reporters in New York City ahead of Sunday's final at the MetLife Stadium, emphasized his focus on winning. "The whole team has improved so much and this is something we have spent years building," he said.
Argentina won the World Cup in 2022 by beating France on penalties in the final. They also won the Copa America in 2021 and 2024 and beat Italy in the 2022 Finalissima.
"Honestly sometimes I cry to myself thinking about what we have achieved. I am just trying to enjoy the moment. Because sometimes as footballers you don't really realise where you are in your career," Martinez said.
Legacy and Hard Work
Martinez believes Argentina's working-class background and hard work ethic will leave a lasting legacy. "The players in the team come from working-class backgrounds. Our parents have to work hard, and I think the Argentine people will remember us as hard workers, who never admit defeat -- even if sometimes things are hard we always come through, like in this World Cup," he said.
Argentina will become the first nation since Brazil in 1962 to successfully defend the World Cup trophy if they beat Spain at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
