Dibu Martínez rose to fame three years ago, his brilliant performance in the Copa América semi-final against Colombia three years ago in Brazil, coupled with his ability to drive his rivals crazy by talking to them and talking to them.
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The 2024 Copa Dibu is much more mature as a goalkeeper, having already been champion of America and the world, but he is experiencing this Sunday’s final, once again with Colombia in the lead, as if it were his first. These were his main phrases in the press conference prior to the match in Miami.
What it means to play a new final. “You always need more experience in the national team goal. I feel more complete, supported by my teammates. We have a great group of goalkeepers who help me improve every day.”
The motivation to play against Colombia. “We have to play football. Now it’s 120 minutes, it’s more time, we have the same enthusiasm, it’s our fourth final and we’re as excited as if it were our first.”
Are you planning to go to penalties? “First I focus on 90 minutes. Then, if 120 minutes are given, we will do it like in the World Cup, where we had to suffer, and penalties are always a matter of course. If that happens, I will do my job.”
The key to saving penalties. “For me, it’s 100 percent luck. You can study a lot, but I’ve taken penalties that are totally different from how you studied them. Then, I have a great goalkeeping coach and teammates who help me make a decision. You have to make the impact at the right moment and if they’re kicking really well, it’s difficult to take them.”
What Dibu Martinez experienced in the 2021 semi-final against Colombia
The memory of the semi-final against Colombia in 2021, was there any resentment left? “It was just another game. I’ve won six, seven penalty shootouts and I never hold a grudge. I never dwell on the past but on what’s to come.”
The key to defeating Colombia. “We have to play our game. We know our weapons, which is to play football. We have a good foot and when we know how to use it and we have concentration, it’s a plus. We have the best. We have to control their weapons, which are many. There is a lot of tension, the one with the least tension will win.”
Colombia’s aerial game. “We know James has a left foot, it’s one of the best in the world. We’ll work on aerial play, it’s a step we haven’t taken yet, I could have gone out a bit more. They have bullets on the wings, a striker who can handle everything. There are a lot of weapons that you have to control.”
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