Aston Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez shows his softer side with incredible gesture to raise £37,000 for charity

ASTON VILLA and Argentina keeper Emi Martinez has raised £37,000 by auctioning off his World Cup final gloves.

The 30-year-old, nicknamed Dibu, was instrumental in helping his side win the final and lift the trophy for the first time since 1986.

With the astonishing clash level at 3-3, Martinez made a sensational stop to deny France's Randal Kolo Muani at the end of extra-time.

And he then went on to save a penalty in the shoot-out before Aurelien Tchouameni fired wide as Argentina triumphed in dramatic fashion.

Many keepers would have understandably kept the match-winning gloves for themselves.

But it has now been revealed that Martinez, who won the Golden Glove award for best keeper at the World Cup, opted to auction them off.

And he has donated the proceeds – which amount to £37,000 – to the oncology ward at the Garrahan Hospital in Buenos Aires.

Speaking on Instagram, the Argentine Paediatric Foundation said: "$45,000 for the Dibu gloves to help the Garrahan boys."

And Martinez added: "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."

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Reacting to Martinez's kind gesture, one Villa fan said: "The man he is. So happy he is at our club."

While another added: "Beautiful deed from him."

Martinez's generous act comes after he was criticised for his behaviour during and after the World Cup final.

His gamesmanship during the pivotal shoot-out raised eyebrows among some football fans.

And he then appeared to mock Kylian Mbappe during the open-top bus parade in Argentina by holding a baby doll with the French striker's face on.

Mbappe, 24, scored a hat-trick in the final but still ended up on the losing side.