‘Amazing’: Matty Cash now shares what Emi Martinez did at full-time at the World Cup last night

By Ben Evans

It was an all-Aston Villa affair at the World Cup yesterday evening when Argentina played Mexico.

Emi Martinez’s South American side needed to win, while Matty Cash’s Poland knew a draw was enough to progress.

Cash spoke to TalkSPORT after both teams miraculously made it through to the knockout stages.

After Argentina’s shock defeat to Saudi Arabia, there were plenty of question marks surrounding the team.

Martinez admitted to speaking to a psychologist after the game, and has kept two clean sheets since.

However, they dominated Poland from start to finish and comfortably won 2-0 on the night.

It meant Cash’s Poland side had a nervous wait at full-time, as they waited alongside Martinez’s Argentina to find out if they had qualified.

At one point, Poland were only progressing based on having a better fair play record.

However, a last-minute Saudi Arabia consolation goal confirmed Poland’s place in the last-16.

Cash has now shared with TalkSPORT what he and Martinez did at full-time.

Cash and Martinez through to World Cup knockout stages after nervous full-time wait

The Villa right-back was asked what it was like to close up close and personal with Lionel Messi.

“The best thing about it was, at the end of the game Emi Martinez comes up to me and says, ‘Cashy I’ve got you a present.’ Cash said.

“I was like, ‘what could this be’, and he said, ‘follow me’, so I’ve gone down the tunnel with him.

“He’s gone into the changing room and said, ‘wait there’, and he’s walked out with a Messi shirt for me.

“Yeah, it was amazing, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

There would have been plenty of players trying to get hold of Messi’s shirt after the game.

He’s clearly close with the legendary forward, and sent him a message after the match.

Cash will now be preparing to face Messi’s teammate Kylian Mbappe in the last-16.

Meanwhile, Martinez has a clash against surprise qualifiers Australia this weekend.

It won’t be too long before Cash and Martinez are celebrating at full-time together on the same team when they return to Villa Park.