The French Football Federation has submitted an official complaint to its Argentine counterpart regarding the actions of Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who exhibited several inappropriate behaviors following Argentina's victory in the World Cup. French media reported that Martinez mocked French star Kylian Mbappe during the celebration of the "Tango Dancers" after they won the World Cup in Buenos Aires.
Social media users circulated a photo of Martinez during the celebrations for Argentina's victory in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, holding a doll featuring the image of French star Kylian Mbappe. Martinez had previously mocked World Cup top scorer Mbappe in the locker room after the final match, which ended with Argentina winning on penalties. The Aston Villa goalkeeper stated, "A minute of silence for Mbappe."
It is worth mentioning that Martinez played a crucial role in Argentina's title win, making a significant save at the end of extra time against a dangerous shot from Randal Kolo Muani before saving a penalty from French player Kingsley Coman, leading his country to win its first World Cup since 1986.
Consequently, the French Football Federation filed a complaint with the Argentine Football Association, deeming Martinez's celebrations "shocking" and "inappropriate." According to the website “Goal”, French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet mentioned, "We have taken action... It is extremely shocking... These are young men who did their best for the success of the French team, so it's important to support them."
He added, "I have written to the president of the Argentine Football Association... I find these excesses unnatural in the context of sports competition, and I struggle to understand them... He has crossed the line, while Mbappe's behavior was exemplary." A report from the British newspaper “Daily Mail” attributed Martinez's mockery of Mbappe to the latter's response in an interview before the World Cup regarding comparisons between European teams and others, where the Paris Saint-Germain player stated, "We in Europe have the advantage of playing in tournaments like the UEFA Nations League, which are the strongest in the world."
