Goalkeepers are among the most exposed players on a football pitch when it comes to hand injuries. Unlike outfield players, who rarely use their hands during a match, goalkeepers rely on their fingers and palms to stop powerful shots, catch crosses and make saves. Repeated impact can leave them with broken fingers, dislocations and injuries that can affect their hands long after retirement.
Emiliano Martinez, the Chelsea and Argentina goalkeeper, recently revealed the extent of the pain he suffered after breaking a finger shortly before Aston Villa's 2026 Europa League final against Freiburg. The injury happened during the warm-up before the match in Istanbul on May 20, 2026. Despite the injury, Martinez decided to play and completed the entire match as Aston Villa won 3-0 to lift the Europa League trophy.
Martinez's injury problem continued beyond the final, and he decided against surgery because the procedure would have kept him out for about six weeks, potentially affecting his availability for Argentina's 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign. He instead played with a protective cast and a specially designed Adidas goalkeeper glove. Martinez described the pain he experienced while playing with the injury, revealing that he would struggle with the pain every night and could not use his hand normally.
Another goalkeeper who suffered from finger injuries is Rob Green, the former England goalkeeper. Green has a permanently bent little finger following several breaks and dislocations. The injury happened over many years of playing, particularly when his finger caught in the ground as he dived to make saves. Green needed special protection to continue playing, including a specially designed glove that allowed him to tape some of his fingers together.
Aaron Ramsdale, the former Arsenal and Southampton goalkeeper, also experienced a finger fracture that required him to use specially designed goalkeeper gloves. Ramsdale broke his left middle finger during Southampton's 2-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers in November 2024. The injury required surgery and forced him to miss several matches. He returned to action against Fulham on December 22, 2024, wearing a modified glove with a larger opening that accommodated both his left middle and ring fingers.
Nick Pope, the Newcastle United and England goalkeeper, has also struggled with repeated finger dislocations throughout his goalkeeping career. Pope revealed that he first dislocated a finger when he was just 13 years old. The problem became recurrent, with the goalkeeper suffering several dislocations during the 2022/23 season. Pope eventually underwent surgery in the summer of 2023 to stabilize the affected finger.
Other goalkeepers who have played with broken fingers include Jason Steele, who broke his scaphoid bone in training, and several others who have suffered similar injuries. These experiences show how much goalkeepers' hands can suffer during their careers, with many players experiencing long-term effects from their injuries. Goalkeepers often have to make difficult decisions about whether to play through pain or undergo surgery, which can impact their availability for important matches.
Key points
- Emiliano Martinez played with a broken finger during Aston Villa's 2026 Europa League final against Freiburg.
- Rob Green has a permanently bent little finger following several breaks and dislocations.
- Goalkeepers often experience long-term effects from hand injuries, including broken fingers and dislocations.
