Following Argentina's success in reaching the semifinals of the Copa America, goalkeeper Damian Martinez gave an exclusive interview to Ole newspaper, sharing his thoughts on his team's performance in the quarterfinals, the thrilling moments of the penalty shootout, and his high regard for captain Lionel Messi.
Facing a strong Ecuadorian team, Martinez first expressed his respect for his opponents, "Ecuador is a very high level, talented team with young and physical players. We knew it was going to be a tough game, but it was this challenge that galvanized us." He recalled the tense atmosphere of the match, comparing it to the thrilling battle against the Netherlands at the World Cup in Qatar, pointing out that the draw and missed penalties in that match had put the whole team through a great deal of psychological pressure, but that the Argentinean team had remained resilient throughout.
Talking about the penalty shootout, Martinez revealed a startling fact: the team did not train specifically for penalties before the match. "We had confidence in ourselves and believed we could settle the fight in 90 minutes." He explained. However, the game did not go as they had hoped, and although they scored a valuable goal in the first half, Ecuador's tenacious performance put the game in a stalemate, and eventually the winner had to be decided through a penalty shootout. Martinez said that although the team had not practiced specifically before the penalty shootout, they won the victory with their strong beliefs and excellent mental qualities.
Speaking about the penalty Messi conceded, Martinez showed his deep affection and unwavering support for his captain. "It's something I owe him." He said fondly, "It was Messi who saved us at the World Cup, he won the World Cup and was the best player at the World Cup. He went through serious injuries but he always fought for the team. When he conceded the penalty, I knew I had to step up and help him. I didn't feel pressure because I knew he deserved it. We were able to reach the semifinals again thanks to his dedication and perseverance."
Finally, Martinez gave credit to Ecuador for their performance in the penalty shootout and emphasized the brutality of the penalty shootout. "I know they practiced penalties and the coach mentioned it in the press conference." He said, "They celebrated fiercely at the time, but that's how penalty shootouts are, make or break. Fortunately, we won the battle."
