Chelsea's Emi Martinez reveals permanent damage to his finger

Chelsea and Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez has opened up about the excruciating physical toll of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, revealing that he played the entire tournament with a severely broken finger.

The 34-year-old shot-stopper recently detailed the immense pain he endured in North America, shedding light on the permanent damage his hand has sustained.

The revelation comes amid the still-weird aftermath of the 2026 World Cup, with recent reports highlighting a significant number of injuries among various players in the Argentina squad after their gruelling run to the final.

Martínez originally fractured his finger in May 2026 during the warm-up for Aston Villa's Europa League final victory against SC Freiburg.

Rather than undergoing immediate surgery, he opted to wear a plastic splint and a special Adidas glove to represent his country, a decision that resulted in unimaginable discomfort.

"On a scale of 1 to 10, my finger affected me 10/10," Martínez admitted in a recent interview. "Until the day before the Algeria game, I was diving with one arm, like a zombie."

The Argentine described the agonising daily reality of navigating a global tournament with a fractured finger.

"Every time I put my hand down, I saw stars from the pain. I cried until midnight because my finger was swollen like a sausage," he confessed.

"If a ball had hit me directly on the fingertip, my entire finger could have exploded. Every time a ball came towards me, I prayed my finger wouldn’t pop out of place."

The pain extended far beyond the training pitch, impacting his most basic routines.

"Ï screamed in pain every time I put my finger inside my glove. I begged them to cut the glove open," Martínez revealed. "I even had to shower with a plastic bag over my hand, keeping it raised.”

Despite the horrifying condition of his hand, Martínez was brilliant throughout the tournament, pulling off crucial saves before Argentina's ultimate heartbreak against Spain in the World Cup final.

However, the immense sacrifice has left a permanent physical mark. Martínez confirmed that he can no longer fully close his right hand, a deformity that has become visible in a picture currently making the rounds on social media.

The veteran goalkeeper, who transferred to Chelsea in the summer of 2026 to recover from the final's heartache, is now dealing with yet another severe physical issue.

Martínez is currently sidelined with a fractured jaw after colliding with an opponent during Chelsea's 2-0 Premier League victory over Everton on October 17.

When comparing the two horrific injuries, the Argentine maintained incredible perspective, stating that the jaw injury, which cost him three teeth, is merely a "one" on the pain scale compared to the "ten" he experienced at the World Cup.