Damian Martinez's wife, Mandina, paid tribute to her husband on social media.
Mandina wrote: "Only those closest to us truly understand what you've been through during this World Cup. When we embarked on this journey, we didn't even know if you would be able to play a single match because you had a broken finger. You had previously won the Europa League while injured (enduring excruciating pain); and when we finally got a much-needed rest in Portugal, you still couldn't truly relax."
“You watch our kids playing in the pool and long to join them and enjoy those special moments, but you can’t risk aggravating your injury. There were countless phone calls, and doctors and specialists recommended surgery—and everyone knew that if you had surgery, it would almost certainly mean missing the World Cup. You had to make one of the toughest decisions of your career: trust that your body will heal itself, leave everything to God, and believe that what is destined to happen will happen.”
" Finally, after weeks of X-rays, casts, and sleepless nights filled with pain, uncertainty, and frustration, the trip to the United States arrived. You still couldn't practice with the team. While everyone else was training together, you had to train alone. You've worked hard for this moment all year, and I know how difficult it has been for you."
