Emiliano Martinez: Argentina Goalkeeper Auctions World Cup Gloves for $45K for Cancer Hospital

• Emiliano Martinez has auctioned his World Cup-winning gloves in aid of a children's cancer hospital
• Emiliano Martinez won the best goalkeeper prize at the recently held FIFA Best Awards
• The Argentina goalie won the award after inspiring his nation to a World Cup triumph

Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has made a classy gesture by auctioning his World Cup gloves for $45K to help children in Argentina.

The 30-year-old was vital for La Albiceleste on their way to a third World Cup, pulling off an impressive last-gasp point-blank save to deny France's Kolo Muani from scoring the winning goal in the epic final.

The Aston Villa custodian won the Golden Glove prize at Mundial and was adjudged the Best Goalkeeper at the FIFA The Best Awards in Paris last month.

And according to Supersports, Martinez has teamed up with Garrahan Hospital in his homeland to support them in their fight against childhood cancer.

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He has auctioned the gloves he wore in the nail-biting penalty shootout with France at Qatar's World Cup final for $45,000.

"$45,000 for the Dibu gloves to help the Garrahan boys!" the Argentine Pediatric Foundation said on Instagram, referring to the oncology ward of the Garrahan Hospital, the main pediatric hospital in Argentina.

"When they gave me the option to donate the World Cup gloves, I didn't hesitate, it's a good cause for the boys," said the goalkeeper during the event.

"The World Cup finals are not played every day, (the gloves) are special. But it helps a child much more than me having them hanging in a frame in my house," he said.

The auction was held online on Friday and featured Martinez via video-link from his home in England.

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Martinez had autographed the inside of the gloves when announcing the donation in February.

Martinez explains Kolo Muani save

Arguably the most remarkable moment for Argentina at the World Cup was when Martinez saved a shot from France striker Randal Kolo Muani with seconds left on the clock.

As Sports Brief earlier reported, Dibu explained how he made the save from the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, which took the match to penalties which La Albiceleste won.

He claimed he reckoned the French player would hit the ball on a volley, so he opened his body to make himself big, and luckily it hits his thigh.

Martinez apologised to Mbappe

This comes at a time when Martinez named Mbappe 'the best French player' he had ever seen, after they crossed paths at the 2022 World Cup.

Dibu had the last laugh in an epic showdown between Argentina and France but it was his post-match antics which raised many eyebrows.

Martinez has since apologised and even revealed his respect for the PSG star, who the goalkeeper described as the best in his country.