Emi Martinez is a lover of an international break as it is a chance to go home and play in his true colours, light blue and white.
He has reminded fans just how good he can be between the sticks with Argentina, but now Chelsea need him to bring that form back to Stamford Bridge.
The goalkeeper has now kept an incredible 44 clean sheets in 68 appearances for his country, following Argentina's 7-0 victory against Burkina Faso in this international break.
That means the Chelsea goalkeeper has shut out the opposition in almost two-thirds of his international appearances, an impressive record for a goalkeeper operating at the highest level. An impressive feat, despite the level of competition he has faced has been below par sometimes.
That consistency is exactly what Chelsea need from their new goalkeeper. Martinez arrived at Stamford Bridge with a reputation as one of the Premier League's most reliable goalkeepers, but his start to life in west London has been far less convincing. After four Premier League appearances, he is yet to keep a clean sheet and has conceded 10 goals in four Premier League games.
The contrast makes Martinez's Argentina form particularly important. Chelsea have already shown that they can create chances and score goals, but defensive mistakes have continued to undermine their results.
A goalkeeper who can provide confidence behind the defence could make a significant difference, particularly during a demanding run of fixtures.Maybe, it is a bit of Argentine grit and dirtiness needed in the Chelsea back five or four to keep those clean sheets, and not the full blame rightly should not be blamed on the ‘keeper.
Martinez's international record also shows that he is capable of producing consistency over a long period rather than simply enjoying a short purple patch. He played every minute of Argentina's 2026 World Cup campaign, keeping two clean sheets despite the team's eventual defeat to Spain in the final.
Chelsea are unlikely going to replicate Argentina's defensive structure, but they do need the same mentality, authority and reliability. If Martinez can transform his Argentina form into his performances at Stamford Bridge, it could prove to be one of the biggest improvements Chelsea can make this season.
