France Football Federation [FFF] have lodged an official complaint against Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for his non-stop mockery of Kylian Mbappe. With each day passing since Argentina’s World Cup triumph over France in a penalty shootout, Martinez has been having a go at Mbappe. Right from the dressing room celebrations in Qatar, to their open-bus parade in Argentina, Martinez has found new ways to mock the France forward.
But it seems the FFF has had enough of it at their president Noel Le Graet in an interview confirmed that they have taken appropriate legal steps in their proceedings against the Argentina goalkeeper’s behaviour. The FFF president also underlined Mbappe’s utmost professionalism and silence despite his mocking and that Emi Martinez had now ‘taken it too far’.
FFF president slams Martinez for Kylian Mbappe trolls
Kylian Mbappe may have been on the losing side in the World Cup final, but he was really the hero of the game. He netted a brilliant hat-trick to avoid France from falling to a defeat in the regular 90 minutes, and then in the extra-time as well. Mbappe scored two goals in the space of 70 seconds in the final ten minutes to cut out Argentina’s two goal lead which they had attained in the first-half with goals from Messi and di Maria.
However, just when Messi’s extra-time goal was about to make the difference, Mbappe once again dragged France at par and forced a penalty shootout. And as Argentina have prevailed on previous occasions, they once again came up big in the final with Martinez saving Kingsley Coman’s spot-kick and working the mind-games before Aurelien Tchouameni stepped-up to to take his shot and hit it wide.
Although Martinez appeared to console a heartbroken Mbappe on the pitch, he later mocked him mercilessly during Argentina’s dressing room celebrations. The 30-year-old called for ‘a minute silence for Mbappe who is dead’, as the Argentina players were dancing behind him. Martinez took it further with his antics, as he was seen holding a baby doll with Mbappe’s face during the Albiceleste’s victory parade in Buenos Aires. Noel Le Graet after filing a complaint over the Argentine’s mockeries, told Ouest-France:
“We have launched different procedures. It is very shocking. These are boys who have given the best of themselves for the France team to succeed. It is important that we support them. I wrote to my counterpart from the Argentine Football Association. I find these excesses abnormal in the context of sports competition, and I find it difficult to understand. It goes too far. Mbappe’s behaviour was exemplary.”
While Argentina are still busy celebrating their first World Cup triumph in 36 years, Kylian Mbappe has returned to training with PSG. The striker wants to make himself available for the Parisians’ first competitive game since the resumption of club football, against Strasbourg in the Ligue 1 next week. Meanwhile, his club mates Leo Messi and Neymar are reportedly set to return only at the turn of the year.