SHILLONG: In a heartwarming twist of fate, footballing talent of a six-year-old goalkeeper from Meghalaya’s Mawryngkneng village have captured the attention of Argentine No. 1 Emi Martinez.
The young prodigy, named Samborlang, found himself soaring on cloud nine as his exceptional skills earned him recognition from his idol, Martinez, a World Champion and Golden Glove winner in the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Martinez, known for his stellar performances on the pitch and his remarkable journey to success, recently took to his official Instagram handle to share a video showcasing the budding goalkeeper’s talent.
The video swiftly spread across social media platforms, drawing widespread praise for Samborlang’s agility and determination between the goalposts.
For young Samborlang, this acknowledgment from his idol is nothing short of a dream come true.
This gesture of recognition from Martinez is expected to ignite a fire in the hearts of young football enthusiasts across the state, encouraging them to pursue their dreams relentlessly and strive for excellence in the art of goalkeeping.
Meanwhile, Martinez yet again made headlines on Thursday night, albeit under different circumstances.
During his English Premier League team, Aston Villa’s Europa League quarter-final against Lille, Martinez, hailed as the penalty shoot-out hero for Villa, found himself in a peculiar situation.
Despite receiving two yellow cards during the game, Martinez was not sent off, leaving fans astonished at the unexpected turn of events.
Villa ultimately clinched victory on penalties after Lille secured a 2-1 win in the second leg, bringing the aggregate score to 3-3 at the end of extra-time.
The referee was adhering to the regulations of the game, as per IFAB rule 10.3, which specifies that yellow card penalties do not apply to penalties.
The rule further states that “Yellow cards and warnings incurred during the game do not extend to penalties, but a player who receives a red card during the game is ineligible to participate.”
