Patrick Vieira condemns Emiliano Martinez over his ‘STUPID’ decision to mock France after the World Cup final – claiming it ‘took away a little bit from what Argentina achieved’ – as he insists taunting of Kylian Mbappe is ‘damaging the game and himself’
- Argentina beat France on penalties to claim their first World Cup for 36 years
- Emiliano Martinez was the hero in the shootout for Argentina on Sunday night
- Martinez then followed up the victory by aiming a series of digs towards France
- Most of them were directed at Kylian Mbappe after his hat-trick on the night
- During Argentina’s victory parade, Martinez waved a doll with Mbappe’s face on
- He also called for a minute’s silence for the France forward in the dressing room
- The goalkeeper also took aim at Aurelien Tchouameni after his missed penalty
- Patrick Vieira believes Martinez has ‘taken away’ from Argentina’s achievement
Patrick Vieira has hit out at Emiliano Martinez over the Argentina goalkeeper’s ‘stupid’ decision to mock France after their win in last weekend’s World Cup final.
Argentina got the better of France in Qatar on Sunday night, with Martinez proving the hero in a dramatic penalty shootout following a pulsating 3-3 draw after normal and extra-time.
Over the past week, the Aston Villa No 1 has followed up his country’s first World Cup triumph since 1986 by taking a series of digs at France, and in particular star player Kylian Mbappe.
Patrick Vieira has slammed Emiliano Martinez (pictured) for his controversial World Cup antics
Vieira says Martinez’s taunting of France has ‘taken away’ some of what Argentina achieved
He first mocked the PSG forward, who became the first player to score a hat-trick in the World Cup final since England’s Sir Geoff Hurst in 1966 on Sunday, by jokingly calling for a minute’s silence for him while Argentina partied in the dressing room after the victory.
And during their victory parade back in Buenos Aires, Martinez was even seen waving a doll with Mbappe’s face on it while on their open-top bus.
France 2018 World Cup winner Adil Rami has branded him the ‘most hated man in football’, while Les Bleus have also lodged an official complaint over his antics.
Now Vieira, who won the tournament with France in 1998, has condemned Martinez after watching the shot-stopper taunt his country this week.
The Argentina goalkeeper followed up their win by mocking France star Kylian Mbappe, even waving a doll with his face on during their victory parade back in Buenos Aires
He also called for a minute’s silence for Mbappe as his side partied in their dressing room
Vieira feels the treatment of Mbappe after Sunday’s loss is ‘damaging to the game and himself’
‘When you are talking about the abuse and the comments that he received after the World Cup, I think that is damaging the game and himself,’ the Crystal Palace head coach said on Friday.
‘Some of the pictures that I saw from the Argentina goalkeeper took away a little bit from what Argentina achieved at the World Cup. I don’t think that they really needed that.
‘You can’t control sometimes people’s emotions or decisions, but that was a stupid decision from Martinez to do that.’
Martinez is due to return to club duty with Villa next week after his World Cup-winning heroics for Argentina.
New boss Unai Emery has revealed he will hold talks with the goalkeeper about his controversial celebrations, in which they will discuss ‘controlling emotions’.
‘I want to speak with him when he will come here next week but I am thinking more about his performance and his win, than his celebration,’ Emery said.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery plans to talk with Martinez about his antics when he returns
‘The celebration is for the supporters, with really big emotions. It’s not really a good moment as a coach to identify why.
‘I prefer to be focused on how he performed and how he is going to win with us afterwards. I am going to speak with him because I want to control him about that as well – his emotions.
‘We have to have values, we have to focus on behaviour when we are together and with the opposition players.
‘We can speak in 90 per cent of the cases about very good things, and be very proud of him, for his performance, for his win. It is about more than small details like celebrations.’
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