Emiliano Martinez explains his crude celebration after winning the Golden Glove

Emiliano Martinez has explained that he made a lewd gesture with the World Cup's Golden Glove award to hit back at France fans after they booed him during Argentina's thrilling final win.

Martinez was one of Argentina's heroes in the final, making a crucial save to deny Randal Kolo Muani in the final minute of extra time and then keeping out Kingsley Coman's penalty in the resulting shootout.

After keeping three clean sheets in Qatar, Martinez was handed the Golden Glove which is given to the best goalkeeper at the tournament. Shortly afterwards, he was pictured making a rude gesture with the gong as he held it over his private parts.

But now the Aston Villa stopper has revealed he produced the gesture as a comeback to France fans who had booed him during the game.

'I did it because the French booed me. Pride does not work with me,' he told Argentine radio station La Red.

Martinez's reaction was not the first time in the tournament that he continued to wind up the opposition after a match.

The 30-year-old shot-stopper also played a starring role in Argentina's penalty shootout win against the Netherlands in the quarter-finals, and then proceeded to yell at a Dutch opponent: 'keep your mouth shut you f***ing t***', after a chaotic match that ended with 15 yellow cards and a red card.

Much like on that night against Louis van Gaal's side, Martinez came into his own during the penalty shootout in the final, calling for more noise from the crowd after saving Coman's penalty, and then dancing for the cameras when Aurelien Tchouameni put his spot-kick wide moments later.

He appeared to be enjoying himself as Argentina came out on top to win the World Cup for the third time, but admitted afterwards that France had pushed his team all the way as they kept coming back into the contest.

'We suffered a lot. We thought we were in control but they managed to come back,' he added.

‘It was a very complicated game. Our destiny was to suffer.

‘They had one last chance to win [Kolo Muani’s late shot]. Luckily I was able to stop it with my foot.

‘This is a moment I’ve always dreamed of living, I have no words for it. I left very young for England and I would like to dedicate this victory to my family.’