- Albiceleste savoured glory in Qatar
- Held their nerve from 12 yards
- Goalkeeper making the most of celebrations
WHAT HAPPENED? The Real Madrid midfielder missed the decisive spot-kick at the end of a thrilling contest in Qatar, with France fluffing their lines from 12 yards after seeing a hat-trick from Kylian Mbappe earn them a shot at back-to-back World Cup crowns in a nerve-shredding shootout. Martinez prevailed in a series of mind games as Les Bleus sent their takers forward, with the Aston Villa keeper saving from Kingsley Coman before unsettling Tchouameni enough by throwing the ball away to cause the 22-year-old to send his effort skidding past the post.
WHAT THEY SAID: Martinez, who was spotted during Argentina’s victory parade in Buenos Aires holding a doll with Mbappe’s face on it, has said when addressing fans during the ongoing celebrations in South America: “When I save the first penalty in the final, I know that the other boy was going to be very nervous. I tried to play him mentally by throwing the ball away, talking to him... And he missed the goal, he f*cked it all.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: After aiming a number of digs in the direction of French players, Martinez has been billed by former Les Bleus star Adil Rami as “the most hated man in football”, and France have launched a complaint over his taunts against Mbappe, but the 30-year-old custodian is showing no sign of biting his tongue or reining in provocative antics.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
Getty
Getty
TwitterWHAT NEXT? Argentina, who were inspired to a first World Cup triumph since 1986 by talismanic captain Lionel Messi, have spent several days toasting their triumph before those involved prepare to pack their bags and rejoin the ranks at their respective club sides.