No wonder Lionel Messi thinks he’s the best ‘keeper in the world
Emiliano Martinez has opened up on the secret penalty routine that inspired Argentina to their first World Cup win since 1986.
Martinez was one of the key figures to the South American nation’s success in Qatar and turned up when they needed him most as they beat France on penalties in the final.
He was also the hero in the quarter final shoot-out win against the Netherlands and had previously guided Argentina to a win in the same fashion against Colombia in the 2021 edition of the Copa America.
As part of a partnership with Adidas and leading neuroscientists neuro11, Martinez revealed how he kept his cool in some of the biggest moments of his career.
“Penalty shootouts are one the most high-pressure moments of the game, but for me, I see it as an opportunity to channel that energy to my advantage,” he explained.
“When standing on the goal line, I try to maintain a clear mindset and stay focused. I allow my intuition to play a role, paying close attention to what the shooter is doing – their run up, their body shape – and use this to form my decision on what my next movement is.
“Following my session with adidas and neuro11, it was interesting to see data which proved that when the pressure is on, I am more in the zone and perform better– as it reinforced my own evaluation.”
Studies reveal how Martinez kept his cool
The tests revealed that Martinez was able to remain incredibly calm during high-pressure situations and was 90 per cent more in the optimal zone in those moments.
Furthermore, the studies showed Martinez was three times more effective at harnessing pressure to get into the optimal zone compared to the grassroots goalkeeper.
Following his shootout heroics Martinez was hailed as a hero in his homeland while Lionel Messi claimed he was the best goalkeeper in the world.
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