Damián Emiliano Martínez Romero (born 2 September 1992), nicknamed "Dibu",[4] is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Premier League club Aston Villa and the Argentina national team.[5]
![]() Martínez with Arsenal in 2015 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Damián Emiliano Martínez Romero[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | (1992-09-02) 2 September 1992 (age 30)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Mar del Plata, Argentina | |||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)[3] | |||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | |||||||||||||||||||||
Club information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Aston Villa | |||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2008–2010 | Independiente | |||||||||||||||||||||
2010–2012 | Arsenal | |||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
2012–2020 | Arsenal | 15 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
2012 | → Oxford United (loan) | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
2013–2014 | → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 11 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
2015 | → Rotherham United (loan) | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
2015–2016 | → Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 13 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
2017–2018 | → Getafe (loan) | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
2019 | → Reading (loan) | 18 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
2020– | Aston Villa | 89 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||
2009 | Argentina U17 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
2009–2011 | Argentina U20 | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
2021– | Argentina | 19 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||
Honours
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 November 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 November 2022 |
Martínez trained at Independiente's youth ranks before moving to Arsenal in 2010. At Arsenal, he served as understudy, being loaned to various English clubs, before breaking into the starting line-up in 2019, helping them win a FA Cup and FA Community Shield. In September 2020, Martínez moved to fellow Premier League club Aston Villa in a transfer worth £20 million. In his first season at the club, he kept a club record 15 clean sheets in the Premier League.
Martínez is a former Argentina youth international, representing his country at under-17, and under-20 levels. He earned his first cap for the senior national team in 2021, helping his nation win the 2021 Copa América, while winning the Golden Glove for the latter, keeping a clean sheet in the final.
Born in Mar del Plata, Martínez started his career playing for Independiente's youth side, he was invited to trial at Arsenal shortly after his 17th birthday and was offered a youth contract initially.[6]
After injuries to Ryan Clarke and Wayne Brown, and the termination of Connor Ripley's loan, Martínez went on emergency loan to Oxford United, making his debut in the English Football League in their final game of the season against Port Vale in League Two on 5 May 2012;[7][8] Port Vale won 3–0.[9][10] Later that year, Martinez was named on the Arsenal substitute bench for their fixtures away at Stoke City on 26 August and against Liverpool on 2 September, as cover for the injured Wojciech Szczęsny and Łukasz Fabiański, respectively. On 26 September, he made his Arsenal debut in a 6–1 home win against Coventry City in the third-round of the League Cup.[11] He made his second Arsenal appearance in the following round in a 7–5 win away at Reading.[12] Martínez subsequently transferred to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday on an emergency 28-day loan on 15 October 2013.[13] He made his debut for Wednesday on 23 November, against Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town. Martínez's loan was eventually extended until the end of the season.[14]
After returning to Arsenal, Martínez was an unused substitute as Arsenal won the Community Shield on 10 August 2014, with a 3–0 win over Manchester City at Wembley Stadium.[15] He made his debut in the Champions League soon after, helping Arsenal defeat Anderlecht 2–1 in the group stage.[16] He then made his Premier League debut as a 2nd half substitute, replacing the injured Szczęsny against Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on 22 November.[17] With injuries to backup goalkeeper David Ospina, Martínez played his second Champions League game on 26 November, keeping a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory over Borussia Dortmund.[18] His "faultless" performance in the match led to him being named in the UEFA Team of the Week.[19] He made his first Premier League start on 29 November against West Bromwich Albion, and also started against Southampton four days later; he kept two clean sheets as Arsenal won both matches 1–0.[20][21]
On 20 March 2015, Martínez joined Championship club Rotherham United on an emergency loan until the end of the season.[22] He made his debut the following day against South Yorkshire rivals Sheffield Wednesday, conceding two added-time goals in a 3–2 home defeat.[23] On 2 August, Martínez was an unused substitute as new signing Petr Čech played for Arsenal in the 2015 FA Community Shield, a 1–0 win over rivals Chelsea.[24] On 11 August, he joined Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers on a season-long loan.[25] After making 15 appearances in the opening months of the campaign, he suffered a thigh injury that kept him out of contention for several months and was unable to regain his starting place afterwards.[26] He spent the 2016–17 season at his parent club, for whom he played 5 games during the campaign, including a Premier League appearance against West Ham United.[27]
On 2 August 2017, he was loaned to La Liga side Getafe on a one-year deal,[28] and on 23 January 2019, he was loaned to Championship side Reading until the end of the season.[29] At Reading, Martínez made his debut on 29 January against Bolton Wanderers, and won the Man of the Match award against Aston Villa a few days later.
With Bernd Leno being taken off injured during the first half of Arsenal's defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on 20 June 2020, Martínez came off the bench to make his first Premier League appearance since the 2016–17 season.[30] This led to Martínez seeing out the season as first choice goalkeeper at the club and was highly commended for a string of stellar performances,[31][32] with former Arsenal striker Ian Wright describing him as "commanding" and as having played "brilliantly" during his extended spell in the team.[33] On 1 August, Martínez was selected to start in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea, he went on to make some crucial saves to help Arsenal win their 14th FA Cup; after lifting the trophy he was visibly emotional and reduced to tears.[34]
Martínez started in the Community Shield clash against Liverpool on 29 August, which Arsenal won on penalties.[35] Following the match, there was much speculation that Martínez would leave the club with Bernd Leno returning and the player himself stated that he either wanted to stay at the club and be first-choice keeper or leave on a permanent basis.[36] With reported interest from a number of Premier League and foreign clubs, including Aston Villa and Brighton & Hove Albion, Martínez was left out of the squad to face Fulham on the opening day of the league season.[37]
On 16 September 2020, Martínez transferred to fellow Premier League club Aston Villa in a deal worth up to £20 million.[38][39] He signed a four-year deal.[40] On 21 September, Martínez made his debut for Villa, saving a penalty from John Lundstram in a 1–0 home win against Sheffield United.[41][42] In his first season at Aston Villa, Martínez equalled Brad Friedel's club record for clean sheets in a Premier League season, with 15.[43] He was also named Aston Villa Supporters' Player of the Season.[44]
On 21 January 2022, Martinez signed a three-year contract extension which will see him contracted to Villa until the end of the 2026–27 season.[45] On 27 July, ahead of the new season, Martinez was named one of the two Aston Villa vice-captains, alongside Diego Carlos.[46][47]
"We have 'Dibu' and he's a phenomenon."
– Lionel Messi on Martinez's performances in 2021 Copa América[48][49]
Martínez was called up to the Argentina senior squad to replace Oscar Ustari to face Nigeria in June 2011.[50] He received his second senior call up against Germany and Ecuador on 9 and 13 October 2019;[51] he was an unused substitute for both friendly matches.[52]
Martínez made his international debut on 3 June 2021, in a 1–1 draw with Chile in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification match.[53] He subsequently made his competitive debut in a major tournament on 14 June, once again in a 1–1 draw against the same opponent in his side's opening match of the 2021 Copa América at the Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos in Brazil.[54] In the 57th minute, he saved a penalty from Arturo Vidal, but he failed to prevent Eduardo Vargas from scoring on the rebound.[55] On 6 July, Martínez saved three spot kicks in a 3–2 penalty shootout victory for Argentina over Colombia in the semi-final of the tournament.[56] He went on to finish the tournament with a clean sheet in the 1–0 victory over Brazil in the final.[57] Martínez was also awarded the 2021 Copa América's Golden Glove award as the best keeper of the tournament for his performances.[58]
He is nicknamed "Dibu" (abbreviation of Dibujo, Spanish for Drawing), after an animated character in the Argentine telenova Mi familia es un dibujo. He was given the nickname while as a young player at Club Atlético Independiente, when the series was highly popular.[4] Martínez signed a sponsorship deal with Puma in 2018.[59]
Martínez has been married to Portuguese businesswoman Amanda "Mandinha" (née Gama) since 2017. The couple have a son, Santi, and a daughter, Ava.[60][61]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Arsenal | 2011–12[63] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
2012–13[64] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
2013–14[65] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2014–15[66] | Premier League | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
2015–16[67] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2016–17[68] | Premier League | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||
2017–18[69] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
2018–19[70] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
2019–20[71] | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6[lower-alpha 2] | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | ||
2020–21[72] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1[lower-alpha 3] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||||
Total | 15 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 0 | ||
Oxford United (loan) | 2011–12[63] | League Two | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Sheffield Wednesday (loan) | 2013–14[65] | Championship | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||
Rotherham United (loan) | 2014–15[66] | Championship | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan) | 2015–16[67] | Championship | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | ||
Getafe (loan) | 2017–18[69] | La Liga | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
Reading (loan) | 2018–19[70] | Championship | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 | ||
Aston Villa | 2020–21[72] | Premier League | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 0 | ||
2021–22[73] | Premier League | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 37 | 0 | |||
2022–23[74] | Premier League | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 | |||
Total | 89 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 | 0 | ||
Career total | 156 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 188 | 0 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
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Argentina | 2021 | 14 | 0 |
2022 | 5 | 0 | |
Total | 19 | 0 |
Arsenal
Argentina
Individual
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Aston Villa F.C. – current squad | |
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Argentina squads | |||||||||||||
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Awards | |||||||||||
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