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Heavily rumored Atlanta United signing Gonzalo “Pity” Martinez has been voted as the Footballer of the Year of Argentina for 2018. Journalists vote for the “Olimpia de Plata” and have deemed the River Plate playmaker as the best native player in Argentina’s top flight.
Gonzalo Martínez was awarded last night with the Olimpia de Plata as the best Argentine player of 2018. As voted for by sport journalists, Pity beat Darío Benedetto & Lisandro López to the prize https://t.co/aXimz35ao0
— Peter Coates (@golazoargentino) December 18, 2018
Martinez played a key role in River Plate’s run to their fourth Copa Libertadores title, assisting on a goal in the first leg and scoring an insurance goal at the death of the second leg of the controversial final. He joins an illustrious list of players to win this award such as: Juan Roman Riquelme, Carlos Tevez, and Juan Sebastian Veron. You can see the full list of winners here.
After the Copa Libertadores, Martinez spoke with Radio Continental 590 in Argentina and explained why he’s committed his future to Atlanta United. He stated that European clubs didn’t believe in him the way Atlanta did and that they are a “serious organization.”
"I took the decision to go to the US alongside my family. I think it was positive to go to the US. I was shown a lot of good things. @ATLUTD believed in me. That and I am a man of my word." #ATLTUD
— Juan G. Arango (@JuanG_Arango) December 17, 2018
While Pity’s transfer to MLS has not yet been completed, expectations are that the deal will be wrapped up once River Plate conclude their run in the currently ongoing Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.