Lionel Messi scored his 800th career goal with a stunning free-kick for Argentina against Panama but new footage shows Emiliano Martinez helped him out.
Argentina played their first game since lifting the World Cup in Qatar, with Lionel Scaloni fielding the exact same starting XI as La Albiceleste lifted the trophy in front of their own supporters at a sold-out Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.
Thiago Almada came off the bench to open the scoring before captain and talisman Messi sealed the win late on with a historic set-piece stunner.
It was his 800th goal overall, 150th outside the box and 62nd from a free-kick situation. And while clearly those stats would suggest Messi doesn’t need any assistance, Martinez provided it.
As Messi placed the ball and lined up to take his shot, Martinez rushed out of his goal and began shouting instructions at his teammates who had formed their own wall.
They took up positions to obstruct Jose Carlos Guerra and it worked a treat as Messi curled it right into the top corner.
The footage is incredibly fascinating and shows the perspective a goalkeeper can provide. Martinez provided penalty advice to Paulo Dybala in the World Cup final shoot-out and he’s done the same before with free-kicks – telling his Aston Villa colleagues on how to blur David de Gea’s eye-line for Lucas Digne’s goal.
Martinez also hit headlines when he and his teammates recreated his crude Golden Glove celebration prior to the Panama win.
The former Arsenal shotstopper did it after helping Argentina beat France in a thrilling final at the Lusail Stadium and the gesture led to plenty of backlash.
This time Martinez and his colleagues performed it after being handed replica World Cup replica trophies.
At the end of the game, Messi got on the microphone and gave a speech to the passionate fans, saying: “I want to thank all of you for the affection we have been receiving. Not only for being world champions but also for the Copa America. We had said that we were going to do everything we could for this.
“Personally, I have always dreamed of this moment. To be able to celebrate with you, to come to my country, to Argentina, to lift a Copa America, the Finalissima and the greatest one, which is the World Cup.”
