In an interview, Emiliano Martinez still recalled why he had taken a clear ascendancy on Hugo Lloris during the penalty shootout of the World Cup final.
Five months after this painful on Sunday, it is increasingly difficult to believe that it was bad luck that caused France to lose the final of the World Cup against Argentina. Everything was played during the penalty shootout where it was the control of the exercise on the part of Emiliano Martinez who made the difference.
It was said and repeated, seen and revised, the Argentinian goalkeeper loves these moments when he can use his “madness” to disturb the opposing shooters, a land on which the placid Hugo Lloris does not wish to venture. More than a lottery, the penalties are rather close to a psychological duel. And Martinez recently delivered an anecdote that illustrates his science in the matter, and the enormous ascendant he took on the porter of the Blues in this area.
Martinez knew what Lloris was going to do
Here is what “Dibu” entrusts in an interview with Ian Wright and Oriana Sabatini. “I had said to my teammates: ‘If I stop the first shot to the goal, the following shooter must strike in the middle’, tells the Aston Villa player.
Do you know why? It comes from my training in psychology. When I stop the first shot to the goal, the pressure is on the opposing goalkeeper. So he will necessarily dive. You don’t want to be ridiculous in a World Cup final while staying in the middle of the goal. »»
A few days after the final, Paulo Dybala, the shooter who started after Martinez’s judgment in front of Kingsley Coman, had already mentioned this famous advice of his goalkeeper.
“When I walked to the place where the ball was, it seemed very long, had said the AS Rome player. I spoke with ‘Dibu’, he advised me to shoot in the middle after their failure. I was going to cross my shot, the goalkeeper plunged to this post but I listened to what my teammate told me. »» Without this Martinez council, Lloris may have stopped Dybala’s attempt. And perhaps it would have removed pressure on the French shooter, Aurélien Tchouameni, who lacked the frame with too crossed. To meditate …
