Skip to main content

Who is Emiliano Martinez’s Ideal Replacement in Argentina

 


Argentina are bound to decide Emiliano Martinez’s ideal replacement for the two fixtures in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers this week.

Emiliano Martinez made headlines again with his quirk controversy in last month’s games at the World Cup qualifiers. He reportedly hit the journalist after Argentina’s loss to Colombia, leading to his two-game suspension. Consequently, he will not be available for these coming matches versus Venezuela and Bolivia.

The Aston Villa shotstopper has cemented his place as the number one goalie in Albiceleste after helping them win Copa America 2021. He even went on winning the FIFA Best Goalkeeper awards in 2022 following his superb form in the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup. Unfortunately, he is also known for his controversial demeanour on the pitch, from his antics in the penalty shootout to the World Cup victory celebration.

Martinez’s quirks were finally brought to justice, resulting in his suspension. Such has left Lionel Scaloni in a limited choice to find Dibu’s proper replacement. All of his understudies, Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso, and Walter Benitez, are only capped at less than five and aged 30 or above. Scaloni might need to consider finding younger talents in the national team pool for Dibu’s long-term successor. So, who is actually Emiliano Martinez’s ideal replacement for these upcoming games? Here is the comparison among them.

Geronimo Rulli (Marseille)

The current OM shotstopper is the most experienced one, although he has only earned four caps so far. Rulli was part of the squad in two Olympic editions, Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Paris 2024. Sadly, he failed in both as Argentina U23 were unable to reach further stages.

The 32-year-old goalkeeper has been a mainstay in Roberto de Zerbi’s team. Despite only making one clean sheet in seven games, he was named the man of the match once in a 3-2 away win over Lyon. The former Villareal, Ajax, and Real Sociedad man excels in reflexes and positioning, including saving a penalty. He was also the key man when The Yellow Submarine won the Europa League in 2021. He converted one penalty and saved one in the shootout.

Rulli is probably the closest figure to Dibu, with less controversy. This is most likely his best shot for him to step up and demonstrate his quality. The only thing lacks in him is the ability to make crucial saves in a critical moment and leadership in the backline. Such are what makes Dibu better, which is necessary in big games like the tournament finals.

Juan Musso (Atletico Madrid)

The Atalanta loanee is currently playing for Atletico Madrid this season, but only as a second fiddle to Jan Oblak. Musso has only made one appearance with Los Rojiblancos. Such is in contrast to his form last season, as he was instrumental in helping La Dea clinch their first ever continental trophy, the Europa League. The 30-year-old goalkeeper featured in 12 out of 13 games in the competition but only made five clean sheets last season. On the international stage, he has only been capped twice so far.

Musso’s chance to get a nod in the starting XI is fairly slim. He has less experience in big games than Rulli and played in such limited time with his new club. The former Udinese man needs to convince his boss, Diego Simeone, to play more regularly before cementing his place as Albiceleste’s second choice.

Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven)

The 31-year-old goalie with French citizenship is probably the underrated one among the three. He has just made one appearance with Albiceleste and received a call-up later than expected despite his top form with Ligue 1 side, OGC Nice. Benitez was once awarded the Goalkeeper of the Year by France Football magazine in 2019 after making 16 clean sheets in 35 Ligue 1 games.

The former Quilmes man eventually made his international debut in March 2024 against Costa Rica. The shot stopper with Paraguayan descent is currently playing for PSV Eindhoven, where he finally could enjoy the silverwares, with the league title and KNVB Cup in hand. Benitez excels in reflexes and denying close-range shots but seems to be struggling while cutting crosses and saving long-range shots. Such are things he needs to improve to compete better with Rulli and Musso.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

1981 U20 World Cup – The Stage for The Underdogs

  The 1981 U20 World Cup, held in Australia, became a showcase for underdog teams that had not been expected to shine. The 1981 edition of the junior world cup was perhaps the first time that surprises dominated the tournament — including the eventual champions, West Germany. Although they came from the UEFA zone and had a strong winning tradition, especially at senior level, they were not actually supposed to qualify for the finals. Their story mirrored Denmark’s success at Euro 1992. Even more astonishing was the emergence of an Asian team that made it to the final for the first time in the history of the U20 championship. Facts and Figures from the 1981 U20 World Cup The third edition of the U20 World Cup featured several unique stories, no less intriguing than other editions. Here are some highlights from the first FIFA competition to be staged in Oceania: * The tournament took place from 3 to 18 October with 16 teams divided into four groups. * A total of 32 matches...

1983 U20 World Cup – When Stadiums Were Packed with Fans

  The 1983 U20 World Cup is remembered for its success in drawing huge crowds to the stadiums, just like senior-level tournaments.   Youth World Cup had generally struggled to attract fans to attend matches and support their countries — something almost unthinkable in senior international tournaments. That was the case in the first three editions. However, the 1983 U20 World Cup managed to break that trend. The average attendance per match reached 36,099 spectators, a record that still stands today. In some games, more than 100,000 fans turned up to watch their teams live. Facts and Figures from the 1983 U20 World Cup   The 1983 edition had its own share of interesting facts, just like those before and after. Here are the highlights from the first junior world cup held in the Americas: * The tournament took place from 2 to 19 June with 16 teams divided into four groups. * A total of 32 matches were played throughout the tournament. * The host cities were Guad...

1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup: The Emergence of Portugal

  The 1989 FIFA U-20 World Cup marked the dawn of Portugal’s resurgence in world football, as a new generation delivered the nation’s first international title. Portugal had enjoyed a golden period in the mid-1960s, when Eusébio inspired them to the World Cup semi-finals in 1966, but the national side then faded from prominence. A revival began in the 1980s at club level, with Benfica and Porto reaching European finals—Porto famously winning the European Cup in 1987. The national team also showed promise at Euro 1984, reaching the semi-finals, before suffering a humiliating collapse at the 1986 World Cup amid the “Saltillo scandal.” Failure to qualify for Euro 1988 left Portuguese football in crisis. Against that backdrop, the triumph of Carlos Queiroz’s promising young squad in Saudi Arabia offered a glimpse of a brighter future for the Seleção das Quinas. Key Facts – 1989 Tournament   The 1989 edition carried several notable features: * Held from 16 February to 3 Mar...