As Cristiano, Messi was saved by Dibu & the incredible revelation Lionel said about the goalkeeper

Cristiano Ronaldo was saved in EURO 2024 in the Round of 16 against Slovenia as he missed a crucial penalty that could've led to their elimination from the tournament. Portugal's keeper, Diogo Costa, saved three penalties in the penalty shootout, which led Portugal to advance to the quarterfinals. A similar situation happened to the other great of football, Lionel Messi. Last night in the Copa America quarterfinals, Argentina and Ecuador drew 1-1 after 90 minutes. The game went straight to a penalty shootout. Messi was the first one to take the penalty and tried a panenka, but the ball went too high and hit the crossbar. Hope was lost for Argentina, but Emiliano, 'El Dibu' Martinez, saved two penalties in a row, which led to Argentina winning the penalty shootout and advancing to the semifinals. After the game, Messi was relieved that his penalty miss did not cost Argentina the loss and the elimination from the tournament. He also revealed a special detail in regard to Martinez, and he said, "El Dibu is always there; in these moments he becomes a star. Also, before the game, he told us that if there were a penalty shootout, we should stay calm. He always has that in mind."

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Argentina took the lead in the 35th minute of the match thanks to a great header in the box by Lisandro Martinez. Argentina had a corner kick, and in the near post, Alexis Mac Allister headed the ball across the box to Martinez. His header went past the goalie and then was cleared away by the keeper, but the goal counted. In the second half, Enner Valencia missed a penalty kick in the 62nd minute of the match, which could've been the equalizer.

Ecuador would then grab an equalizer in the 91st minute as Kevin Rodriguez scored a header in the box past Emi Martinez. It was a great cross from John Yeboah that caught the Argentina defender off guard, and tensions in the stadium were high as it meant that a penalty shootout would decide the winner of the encounter. One of the biggest moments of the Copa America this summer happened as Messi missed the first penalty of the shootout. Flashbacks of the 2016 Copa America Centenario Final came to Argentina fans, but Emi Martinez was the hero as he saved two penalties in a row. Argentina won the penalty shootout 4-2.

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Dibu Martinez on helping Messi

Emiliano Martinez said that the saves were indeed for Messi and he dedicated it to him. Martinez said, "I owed it to Leo Messi, I owed it to him. He saved us in the World Cup, he won it, he was the best of all in the World Cup, and when things don't go his way... he was coming off a very strong injury in his adductor, and I felt like I had to help him when he missed the penalty."

He continued by saying, "I didn't put pressure on myself; I just said, "I'm going to help him, and that's what he deserves." I spent so many years working for this, and that we're playing another semifinal is thanks to him."