Crystal Palace’s manager, Patrick Vieira, believes the Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez’s “stupid” celebrations have taken some of the sheen off Argentina’s World Cup win.
Martínez was instrumental in Argentina’s penalty shootout victory over France last Sunday, but he has raised eyebrows with some of his actions afterwards.
He appeared to make a vulgar gesture with his Golden Glove award at the trophy presentation and has also repeatedly derided France striker Kylian Mbappé, who scored a hat-trick in the Lusail showpiece.
Vieira, a World Cup winner with France in 1998, said: “Some of the pictures I saw from the Argentinian goalkeeper, I think, take away a little bit what Argentina achieved at the World Cup.
“I don’t think they really needed that. You can’t control sometimes people’s emotional decisions. But that was a stupid decision, I think, from Martínez to do that.”
Argentina claimed their third global title, with Martínez saving Kingsley Coman’s penalty in the 4-2 shootout victory after a pulsating final had finished 3-3.
In the dressing room afterwards, Martínez called for a minute’s silence for Mbappé and he received further criticism for celebrations in Buenos Aires when he held aloft a doll bearing the Frenchman’s face.
Martínez will return to the Midlands next week, with Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, intending to have a discussion with the 30-year-old about some of his controversial antics.