Argentina goalie Emiliano Martinez heard the boos loud and clear from France fans during the 2022 World Cup final.
After Argentina won the shootout 4-2, to win the World Cup at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, Martinez was awarded the Golden Glove trophy, which is given to the most outstanding goalkeeper of the tournament. Martinez raised eyebrows during the postgame ceremony when he was seen holding the trophy near his groin, appearing to thrust his hips.
“I did it because the French booed me,” Martinez told Argentine radio station La Red of the gesture, per multiple reports. “Pride does not work with me.”
It’s unclear if the goalie will face a fine or other discipline for the matter.
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Martinez has also attracted criticism for his antics during the penalty shootout when he played mind games with France players by holding on to the ball — even hurling it away at one stage and making Aurelien Tchouameni go and retrieve it.
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton said the goalkeeper’s actions were “pretty despicable”.
“I wasn’t overly enamoured with Martinez’s antics in the shootout,” Sutton told the Daily Mail.
“I thought it was a pretty despicable thing to do [throwing the ball away]. I can understand the mind games and heat of the moment you do whatever it takes.
“But I thought that was totally unnecessary. If you’re Tchouameni walking past Martinez [in the guard of honour] you probably feel like biffing him one.
“I didn’t like that at all but I can understand Martinez in that moment trying to win a World Cup.
“But he didn’t just chuck it a couple of yards away, he launched it 15, 20 yards away. I really felt for Tchouameni in that moment.
“That wasn’t on. It would have been interesting if Martinez had been booked for that because he got one on the next penalty.”
Martinez became the first player to represent Argentina to win the Golden Glove. He was joined at the trophy ceremony by teammate Lionel Messi, who won the Golden Ball, as well as Enzo Fernandez, the winner of the Best Young Player award.
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The 30-year-old Martinez played a key role in Argentina’s dramatic final to win the country’s first world championship in 36 years.
The Aston Villa goalie, who had three clean sheets in the tournament, carried his team through extra time and a penalty shootout following a 2-2 tie in regulation. He brilliantly denied France’s Kingsley Coman with a diving left save in the performance.
After Argentina’s historic win, an emotional Martinez said, “We suffered a lot. We thought we were in control but they managed to come back. It was a very complicated game. Our destiny was to suffer. They had one last chance to win, luckily I was able to stop it with my foot.
“This is a moment I’ve always dreamed of living, I have no words for it. I left very young for England and I would like to dedicate this victory to my family.”
Martinez has been the goalkeeper for Aston Villa since 2020. Last year, he helped his country to its first Copa America trophy since 1991.
