Emiliano 'Dibu' Martínez has told Argentina fans that he will recover from a finger injury in time for the national team's World Cup opener against Algeria on June 16.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper suffered a small fracture of the ring finger on his right hand during the warm-up before the Europa League final, in which Villa beat Freiburg 3-0 and were crowned champions.
The veteran keeper has been training separately from the squad in Argentina's base camp in Kansas City and told fans as he stepped off the bus on Tuesday: "I will arrive."
Martínez, 33, is coming off a strong season with Villa, who also finished fourth in the Premier League.
He was named in the Europa League Team of the Season.
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A 2022 World Cup winner with Argentina, Martínez was voted the best goalkeeper in that tournament. He was awarded the Golden Glove as he helped his country win the 2024 Copa América.
Argentina begins their title defence against Algeria in Kansas City before facing Austria on June 22 and Jordan on June 27, with the second two matches in Arlington, Texas.
Source: https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48954908/emiliano-martinez-return-injury-argentina-world-cup-opener
