Kylian Mbappe Responds To Emi Martinez’s Taunts ‘I don’t waste time on trivial things’

France striker Kylian Mbappe has broken his silence on Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez’s behaviour after the final whistle in Qatar at the World Cup final. 

The Paris Saint-Germain striker scored a hat-trick in the final and was only the second player to achieve the feat but it proved to be insufficient and France missed out on a second consecutive World Cup win. 

Argentina Prevail In The ‘Best Final’ Yet

Martinez starred for the South Americans as they won their first World Cup since 1986. The 30-year-old made a goal-saving last-minute sprawling stop to deny Randal Kolo Muani in extra time before saving two penalties in the shootout.

However, many football fans felt Martinez went a touch too far with his celebrations.

Martinez was widely criticised after a video on social media showed the Aston Villa player calling for a “moment of silence for Mbappe” during the team’s celebrations in the dressing of the Lusail Stadium. 

When the squad returned to Argentina for a victory parade through Buenos Aires, the Golden Glove winner was photographed holding a doll with a picture of Mbappe’s face pasted onto it. 

The taunts became so unsatisfactory that according to the Spanish daily Marca, the president of the French Football Federation, Noel Le Graet contacted the Argentine football federation and took issue with how several players of the World Cup-winning team taunted their opposition. Le Graet lambasted the Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez and described the Aston Villa player’s taunts as “shocking” and “abnormal”.

Almost a fortnight after the final in Lusail, Mbappe spoke to French media after PSG beat Strasbourg in Ligue 1, and responded to Martinez’s behaviour: “I talked with him after the match. I congratulated him. For him, it was a life goal. For me too, but I lost, so I have to be a good sport. Celebrations are not my problem, I don’t waste time on such trivial things.”

Related TopicsArgentinaFootballKylian MbappeLatest NewsNewsWorld Cup 2022

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