London, Oct 31 (V7N)- Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has revealed that a finger injury he played through during the World Cup may never fully heal, leaving him to continue dealing with pain.

Martinez reportedly broke his finger in May, before Aston Villa’s Europa League final against Freiburg. He decided against surgery because the recovery period would have kept him out for around six weeks, potentially ruling him out of the World Cup.

The 34-year-old goalkeeper said he made the decision after consulting Argentina goalkeeper coach Martin Tocalli and team doctor Dani Martinez. Sportswear manufacturer Adidas also provided specially designed gloves to give the injured finger additional protection.

According to Martinez, the injury has not healed into its normal position because he did not undergo surgery. Although an operation could have helped restore the finger within six weeks, he chose to prioritise representing Argentina at the tournament.

‘I Would Make the Same Decision Again’

In an interview on journalist Gaston Edul’s YouTube channel, Martinez described the severe pain he endured throughout the competition.

“I used to dive like a zombie. After diving like this, when I got up and put my hands on the ground, I would see mustard flowers in my eyes,” he said, describing the pain. He added that he often cried until midnight because the injured finger had become swollen and discoloured.

Reflecting on the decision to play through the injury for his country, Martinez said the risks were part of representing the national team.

“These are risks that you have to take for the national team. If it happened again, I would have made the same decision,” he said.

Chelsea Transfer and Surgery

Martinez spent six years at Aston Villa before reportedly joining Chelsea this summer. Juventus had also shown interest in signing the goalkeeper, but the potential move did not materialise.

According to The Athletic, the finger injury was among the factors behind the collapse of the proposed transfer to Juventus.

Martinez said he was told that playing in his existing condition would be difficult and that surgery was necessary. He added that Chelsea had no objection to an operation, although the club reportedly viewed the decision as a personal matter and did not consider surgery essential for him to continue playing normally.

The goalkeeper’s account highlights the physical risks he accepted to represent Argentina, as he continues to deal with the lasting effects of the injury.

END/SMA/AJ