The best goalkeeper of the tournament
Argentina’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has been named the best goalkeeper of the Qatar World Cup. And this decision did not raise any doubts and questions.
Martinez played very well throughout the tournament, but was also reliable in decisive situations, which allowed Argentina to reach the league title.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper won the penalty shootout after the quarter-final match against the Netherlands by parrying two of Orange’s shots.
In the main match of the tournament against the French team, in the added time of the second extra half, the Argentine goalkeeper managed to reduce his angle of fire and dragged Randal Colo-Muani’s fatal shot that saved Albiceleste with his foot. from disaster.
Well, then there was a penalty shootout, and here the goalkeeper proved to be adept at psychological tricks, and this is not the first time. He had demoralized the Dutch in the same way in the post-match series at the World Cup before.
His actions against France were analyzed by sports psychologist Geir Jordet, who noted that the goalkeeper’s actions were thoughtful and effective.
First he entered the penalty area, where he met his counterpart and colleague Hugo Lloris as if to show that this was his home. Then he shook hands with Kylian Mbappe and tried to confuse him with sincerity.
Also, discovering the limits allowed by the referee, the Argentine asked him to control the installation point of the ball. Emiliano raised his thumb when Szymon Marciniak looked up and said that Mbappe had placed the ball correctly.
The leader of the French team was not embarrassed by all this, but after once again checking the ball setup, the next Kingsley Coman, who hit the ball, could not cope with his nerves and left his opponent behind.
Also, before Aurélien Tchuameni’s kick, the Argentine goalkeeper first grabbed the ball, kicked the fans out of the goal, and then threw the bullet into the corner of the penalty area, so the Real Madrid midfielder had to. follow him himself.
The Argentine received only a verbal recommendation from Marchinyak for this blatant act of disrespect; this is unlikely to affect the player’s behavior in any way, but Tchuameni missed the mark. Martinez also predicted the direction of the blow and then celebrated the Frenchman’s miss with a dance.
Before the French national team’s final kick, the goalkeeper shouted to Colo-Mouani that he was watching him, eventually forcing Marchiniak to receive a delayed yellow card. And although the striker of the German “Eintracht” scored a goal, Argentina, whose players converted all four attempts, still won.
“Amy Martinez’s mind games are serious, unpredictable and calculated. She is the Machiavelli of football and encourages others to imitate her and take countermeasures. Jordet wonders how she will evolve in the future after such a performance on the world’s biggest stage,” he said.
Insolence and a reward in the genitals
But Martinez really stood out during the championship celebrations. After winning the world title 36 years later, the whole of Argentina was in serious trouble, and the team players were the first to do it. But the goalkeeper stood out even against their background.
Just after the penalty shoot-out and the first joy on the field, Martinez came up to Mbappe, who was sitting on the grass heartbroken. At that moment, the “tricolor” striker was consoled by the President of France, Emmanuel Macron.
The goalkeeper crouched and shook his opponent, who had scored three goals against him in the final, and then another penalty, consoling his hand. However, at the same time, the Argentine hit the PSG striker’s cheeks so hard that it didn’t seem like a friendly gesture.
Then, after receiving the award for the best goalkeeper of the tournament at the award ceremony, for some reason, he put the “golden glove” vertically on his groin and shook the trophy.
“I did it because the French booed me. “This kind of arrogance doesn’t work for me,” the Aston Villa goalkeeper later explained to La Red, explaining his behavior.
Well, already in the locker room, cheerful Argentines went crazy in different ways, for example, by somersaulting in the trash. Among other things, the entire team sang the words “minutes of silence” and Martinez added “for Mbappe who died” to it.
All this was recorded on video and spread all over the Internet. At the same time, the goalkeeper has a really special relationship with the star forward. The accusation apparently made Kilian’s remarks in an interview he gave before the tournament.
“The Europeans have an advantage because we play top-level matches – for example we have the Nations League. But Argentina and Brazil are not like that. Football in South America has not developed in the same way as in Europe. So if you look at the last world championships, European teams consistently won,” Mbappe said in May.
“He doesn’t know enough about football. He has never played in South America. If you do not have such experience, you should not comment, ”Martinez said before the start of the 2022 World Cup, when journalists recalled these words of the striker.
mockery at Mbappe
Goalkeeper Kilian also followed him in the championship parade. The night after arriving in Argentina, as the entire team was boarding the bus through the streets of Buenos Aires, Martinez found a ninja turtle doll and gave it to Messi. This is a clear reference to the top scorer of the World Cup, who has long been compared to Michelangelo from the famous cartoon for his resemblance.
In the daytime parade, Martinez went further and brought a doll on his head, on which a crying Kilian had his face glued. The Argentines celebrated their championships with their fans by rocking this baby.
Obviously, the confrontation with Mbappe can reach a new level, only 30-year-old Martinez plays for Aston Villa, where for the first time he became the main goalkeeper in the top championship team and does not play in the Champions League.
He has made 15 Premier League appearances for Arsenal in six years during his career and this is his biggest club. It is not a fact that he will be invited to the team stronger.
Nor is it certain that Martinez will be called up to the Argentina national team for the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico in four years. And if they do, it’s not a fact that he will be the main person there.
shame or memorial
The behavior of the best goalkeeper of the Qatar World Cup was evaluated differently in the football world. His aggressive and inconsistent actions are confusing to many.
Isn’t Emiliano Martinez tired of making a fool of himself? He first consoled Mbappe, then sang “died” despite Mbappe scoring four goals. He then glued Mbappe’s face to the doll.
And all this after putting the trophy on the genitals when watched by millions of people. “It’s an unfortunate situation,” wrote Juanfe Sanz of El Chiringuito TV.
Others, on the contrary, praise the goalkeeper’s charisma and intransigence.
“A monument to Emiliano Martinez, please,” asked Giuseppe Rossi, the former Italy and Villarreal forward.