Lionel Messi has lavished praise on Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez following his recognition at the Ballon d'Or awards. While Manchester City midfielder Rodri took home the prestigious trophy, beating Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, Martinez also had a notable night. He secured 18th place in the Ballon d'Or ranking and won the Yashin Trophy for the best goalkeeper for the second consecutive year.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper, who has made significant contributions to Aston Villa's successful campaign that saw them qualify for the Champions League, edged out Spain's Unai Simon and Ukraine's Andriy Lunin for the Yashin Trophy. According to a report by The Mirror, Martinez's performances for the Argentina national team have further solidified his status as one of Messi's favourite teammates.
Posting a photo of Martinez alongside his Argentina colleague Lautaro Martinez, who finished seventh, Messi expressed his congratulations on social media: “Congratulations to all the winners and nominees of the Ballon d'Or 2024. Especially to Dibu (what a great, another award for best goalkeeper in the world!), to Lautaro, to Leo and Ale. It's very nice to see them there!”
Martinez, who played a crucial role in Argentina's World Cup victory in Qatar in December 2022, shared his joy at receiving the Yashin Trophy for the second year running. “It's huge for me," he commented. "I always dreamed of playing one game for the national team. Coming from such a young lad to England and trying to work my way up to succeed at Aston Villa and with the national team, winning one (cap) was an honour. Back-to-back (Yashin Trophies) is something I never expected. I'm just proud to be here today. All thanks go to my family and friends.”
Reflecting on his dedication, Martinez stated: "Sometimes when you're on the pitch you behave in the way that you want to win the game. Off the pitch, I'm a dad, I'm a proud man, I'm a husband, I'm a son. On the pitch, I want to do everything I can to help my national team and my club, which is Aston Villa. We're doing something amazing in the club, we're moving forward. We've won back-to-back trophies with the national team and that's all I care about."
When asked about his place among the world's best goalkeepers, he replied: "I don’t see myself as the best; there are so many good goalies I see week in, week out. I only care about group titles with the national team and with Aston Villa. I focus on myself, and my goalie coaches know the work I put in every day. For me, it's about improving myself."