France issue complaint over 'abnormal' Emiliano Martinez taunts after Argentina World Cup win - 'Going too far'
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Updated 23/12/2022 at 21:21 GMT
Emiliano Martinez's antics during and following Argentina's dramatic World Cup final win over France have come in for heavy criticism, resulting in the French Football Federation writing a letter of complaint to their Argentinian counterparts. The stopper taunted French players during the penalty shootout and mocked Kylian Mbappe in the aftermath of the game.
Watch as Argentina's World Cup 2022 winners show trophy to fans after heroics in Qatar
France have launched a formal complaint about the behaviour of Emiliano Martinez in the wake of Argentina’s World Cup win.
The stopper made a crucial save from Kingsley Coman in the shootout win but has come under fire for his perceived gamesmanship during the penalties, as well as his actions during celebrations back in his home country.
After denying Coman, the Aston Villa man was seen throwing the ball away and taunting France’s next spot-kick taker, Aurelien Tchouameni.
The Real Madrid midfielder subsequently put his effort wide as Argentina closed in on the win.
Les Bleus forward Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick in the extra-time 3-3 draw and dispatched his shootout penalty, but didn’t escape the keeper’s mockery.
Martinez was filmed in the boisterous Argentina changing room post-match sarcastically asking for a minute’s silence for the Paris Saint-Germain frontman.
The jibes continued during the Argentineans’ open top bus parade where Martinez was pictured with a toy doll bearing Mbappe’s face.
As a result, the president of the French Football Federation (FFF) Noel Le Graet has revealed he has written to his counterpart at the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Claudio Tapia.
“I wrote to my counterpart from the Argentine Federation,” Le Graet told Ouest-France. “I find these excesses abnormal, in the context of a sports competition, and I find it difficult to understand.
“This is going too far. Mbappe’s behaviour has been exemplary.”
Mbappe himself is yet to make any comment while Martinez also received criticism for a crude gesture with his golden glove award that he was presented with following the match.
Argentina secured their third World Cup in dramatic fashion following a breathtaking final in Qatar.
The South Americans looked on course for victory after a first-half penalty from Lionel Messi, and then Angel Di Maria finishing a brilliant sweeping move.
However with just ten minutes to play, Mbappe scored from the spot for 2018 winners France before adding a fantastic second to send the match into extra time.
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Messi scored again but France were then awarded another penalty for Mbappe to seal his hat-trick and force the shootout.
The misses from Coman and Tchouameni proved fatal as Argentina scored all four of their penalties to claim the trophy for the first time since 1986.
The two unfortunate players were among a number of French stars targeted with racist abuse following the game, something the FFF moved to condemn.
“Following the World Cup final, several players from the French team were the subject of unacceptable racist and hateful remarks on social networks,” they wrote on Twitter.
“The FFF condemns them and will file a complaint against its authors.”
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