Kylian Mbappe had a stoic reaction as the French star listening to Emiliano Martinez‘s speech after receiving the Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper Award, after the Argentine had taunted him following their World Cup win in Qatar.
The Aston Villa shot-stopper claimed FIFA’s ‘The Best’ goalkeeper prize at the ceremony in Paris on Monday.
Martinez beat Morocco’s Yassine Bounou and Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois to the award, and thanked the efforts of his parents in helping him make it to the top.
‘They always ask me who my idols are or who I watched when I was a kid… Watching my mum clean buildings for eight or nine hours and watching my dad work. They are my idols,’ said Martinez.
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and captain Lionel Messi were seen smiling listening to Martinez’s speech, along with his former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.
Emiliano Martinez was named as winner of FIFA’s ‘The Best’ goalkeeper prize in Paris
Argentina captain Lionel Messi was seen smiling at Martinez was announced as the winner
Kylian Mbappe was pictured stony-faced as Martinez gave his speech at the ceremony
The cameras eventually panned to Mbappe, who appeared stony-faced as Martinez gave his speech.
Martinez received the award after starring for Argentina at the World Cup, producing a vital save in extra time in the final to keep the score level at 3-3.
His save from Kingsley Coman’s in the penalty shoot-out was crucial at Argentina triumphed, despite Mbappe’s hat-trick.
The Argentina goalkeeper received widespread backlash for his wild celebrations – in which he called for a minute’s silence for Mbappe in the dressing room and later held aloft a baby doll with the striker’s face on it.
It came despite Martinez being one of the first people to console Mbappe following France’s gut-wrenching defeat.
After returning to PSG, Mbappe dismissed Martinez’s actions by claiming that he was not bothered by them.
And now Martinez, in an interview with France Football
‘I held it [baby doll] for like two minutes and I threw it away, that’s all’, said Martinez.
Emi Martinez denied mocking Kylian Mbappe during Argentina’s World Cup celebrations
Martinez received widespread backlash for his celebrations during Argentina’s triumph
‘How can I make fun of Mbappe? He scored four past me. Four goals in a final! He must think I am his toy baby! I have huge respect for Mbappe.’
Martinez has now added The Best prize to the Golden Glove he claimed following the World Cup.
He had been criticised for a lewd gesture when he was awarded Golden Glove trophy for keeping the most clean sheets in Qatar.
Lionel Messi was crowned the world’s best male footballer on Monday, with the Argentina captain edging out his PSG team-mate Mbappe for the prize.
source: dailymail.co.uk
