Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez fractured his right ring finger during warm-ups before Aston Villa’s Europa League final in late May. He played through it anyway, because apparently that’s the kind of thing you do when a continental trophy is on the line. Now the question is whether he’ll be fit for something even bigger: Argentina’s World Cup opener against Algeria on June 16.
Coach Lionel Scaloni says the answer is looking increasingly like yes. Martínez is currently training independently from the main squad in Kansas City, working through an individualized recovery program. No surgery is expected. Medical staff have indicated the fracture is healing well, with protocols in place to get him match-ready in time.
The recovery timeline and what Scaloni is managing
Martínez will miss Argentina’s pre-tournament friendlies against Honduras and Iceland. Scaloni has confirmed that several other key players, including Lionel Messi and Julián Álvarez, are also following individualized recovery programs.
Martínez himself has been characteristically blunt about his intentions. He’s assured fans with a simple message: “I will arrive.”
