There are hard men in football, and then there is Emiliano Martinez. The Aston Villa goalkeeper revealed after Wednesday's Europa League final triumph in Istanbul that he broke his finger during the pre-match warm-up — moments before kick-off — and still played every minute of a 3-0 victory over Freiburg that ended the club's 30-year wait for a major trophy.

Let that sink in for a second. The Argentine had to be assessed by a physio on the pitch before the match even began, yet there he was, in his goal at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium, preparing to face a Freiburg side with designs of their own on European glory. For many goalkeepers, that would be the end of the evening. For Martinez, it was just another obstacle to vault.

"Today I broke my finger during the warm-up," he said afterwards, with the kind of matter-of-fact calm that suggests this sort of thing happens to him regularly. "For me, every bad thing brings something good. I've done this my whole life and I'll keep doing it. Should I be worried? Well, I've never had a broken finger before. Every time I caught the ball, it went the other way. But these are things you have to go through, and I'm proud to defend Aston Villa."

In truth, Villa's outfield players made his evening as comfortable as it could be given the circumstances. Youri Tielemans, Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers all found the net as Unai Emery's side were largely dominant, and Martinez was called upon to make just two saves across the 90 minutes. But the sheer act of taking the field and performing his duties while nursing a broken finger speaks volumes about a goalkeeper who has built his reputation on standing up when things get uncomfortable.

The 33-year-old was understandably in fine spirits come the final whistle, leaping into the Villa end before hoisting Emery up onto his shoulders — presumably with the good hand — in scenes that will live long in the memory of supporters who made the journey to Turkey. For a club of Villa's stature and history, a first European trophy since lifting the European Cup in 1982, and their first major silverware in three decades, the occasion carried real weight.

For Martinez personally, the result adds yet another winners' medal to a collection that few players in world football can match. The former Arsenal man has now won every final he has featured in during his career: the FA Cup, the World Cup with Argentina in 2022, two Copa Americas, and now the UEFA Europa League. That is some ledger.

The timing of the injury does carry a note of concern beyond Villa's celebrations, however. Argentina's World Cup squad is due to be confirmed ahead of next summer's tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. Any significant damage to a goalkeeper's hand can rule a player out for weeks, and national team managers tend to take a dim view of carrying injured players into a squad for football's biggest tournament. The hope from both camp and club will be that the break is straightforward and heals cleanly in the weeks ahead.

For now, though, those concerns can wait. Villa are European champions. And their goalkeeper played a final with a broken finger to help get them there.

Frequently asked

How did Emi Martinez break his finger in the Europa League final?
Martinez broke his finger during the pre-match warm-up ahead of Villa's Europa League final against Freiburg in Istanbul. He was assessed by a physio before kick-off but played the full match regardless.
What trophies has Emi Martinez won in his career?
Martinez has now won every final he has played in, including the FA Cup, the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, two Copa Americas, and the UEFA Europa League with Aston Villa in 2025.
Who scored in the Europa League final for Aston Villa?
Youri Tielemans, Emi Buendia and Morgan Rogers all scored as Aston Villa beat Freiburg 3-0 in Istanbul to win the Europa League and end a 30-year wait for a major trophy.