World Cup news: Argentina star Emiliano Martinez delivers injury update of Cape Verde tie

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has provided a affirmative wounded update up of Friday's Round of 32 clash against Cape Verde astatine the 2026 World Cup.

Martinez's preparations for the tourney were hampered by a digit wounded helium sustained successful the warm-up earlier Aston Villa's Europa League last triumph implicit Freiburg.

As a result, the experienced shot-stopper was forced to miss the 2 warm-up games against Honduras and Iceland.

Fortunately for Argentina, Martinez was passed fit to diagnostic successful the 3 group-stage wins against Algeria, Austria and Jordan. 

Martinez lone made 1 prevention crossed the 3 matches, but helium volition look greater tests successful the knockout rounds should Argentina marque a heavy tally successful the tournament.

Martinez provides wounded update 

The affirmative quality is that helium should beryllium uninhibited, having revealed that helium tin region the extortion from his digit wounded up of Friday's gathering with Cape Verde successful Miami.

“I tin present play without a digit kit for the adjacent game," Martinez said aft Saturday's 3-1 win implicit Jordan, arsenic relayed by Mundo Albiceleste. 

“I decided not to person surgery, I had a atrocious time. I came present precise prepared, I inactive haven’t trained with the group, ever with [Martin] Tocalli (Argentina's goalkeeping coach).

“On the pitch, I effort not to suffer. When they told maine I had to person surgery, millions of questions came to me, but the manager (Lionel Scaloni) supported me. He told maine nary substance the game, helium would ever enactment me.”

Argentina hoping for Romero return 

Argentina person reported nary caller wounded concerns aft Saturday's victory, though they are continuing to measure Cristian Romero's fittingness up of the knockout rounds.

The Tottenham Hotspur defender sat retired Argentina's last radical crippled aft being forced disconnected in the 2-0 triumph against Austria with a genu issue. 

According to Reuters, Romero is making advancement successful his recovery, though it remains to beryllium seen whether helium volition beryllium acceptable to commencement successful Miami.

Nicolas Otamendi volition apt play alongside Lisandro Martinez if Romero is incapable to beryllium his fittingness successful time.