Emiliano Martinez’s legacy is guaranteed after winning the World Cup but in the short term he’s made life tough for himself following his antics in Qatar.
I’m not bothered about the gamesmanship before penalties, I had it from goalkeepers when I played and it’s up to the referee to sort out, but he’s made himself a pantomime villain with the rude gesture on the winners’ podium and Mbappe insults.
Even the slightest mistake he makes for Aston Villa is going to be seized upon by the opposition and their fans. They won’t let him forget and that just adds pressure, which isn’t helpful for any player, let alone goalkeepers.
The pity is Martinez had a stunning World Cup. His late save in the final is iconic and he was the hero of two shoot-outs.
Argentina fans will regard him as a hero but everyone else will now be looking to ridicule him for behaving like an idiot.
He may have thick skin and not care, but winning with class should have been easy. Instead, he’s clearly been unable to handle the euphoria of the moment.
I can understand to a point. I stupidly danced on tables and sang about Gary Neville after beating Manchester United at Old Trafford for the first time in 10 years but thankfully there wasn’t any phone cameras then.
But I actually feel more sorry for the other Argentina players who celebrated in the right way and have found themselves tarnished because of his silliness, brandishing an Mbappe doll and calling for a minute’s silence.
If he makes his comeback against Spurs today, there will be a big target on his back.
I don’t think Martinez is a nasty person. Most goalkeepers are extroverts and he’s seems a popular guy with team-mates. He certainly deserves credit for going on loan to places like Oxford and Reading and coming through it all to win a World Cup alongside Lionel Messi.
Despite his hard side, I’m guessing he will privately regret some of the things he’s done. Maybe one day we’ll hear some sort of apology.
The records books show Martinez was a winner and that will be the lasting memory for football fans. But for the remainder of this season, he could be in for a shock about how he’s regarded.