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Emiliano Martinez speaks to France Football on what he thinks about Kylian Mbappe.
Emiliano Martinez sat for an interview for the first time since Argentina's World Cup triumph, and he was asked about his antics during and after the tournament that has seen him face scrutiny from the footballing world.
Some of his much-criticised actions were directed at Kylian Mbappe, who shone for Argentina's fellow finalist France during the tournament, and Martinez has come out to explain why.
The incident with the doll
During Argentina's trophy parade, a doll carrying Kylian Mbappe's face was thrown towards Martinez, and he was pictured carrying the dull and laughing.
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The moment was construed to be him making fun of Kylian, the losing finalist, causing Martinez to face stern criticism, with some of the criticism suggesting the incident had racist undertones.
Martinez has now come out to speak on it and claims that the doll was just one of many thrown at him on the day, and he only laughed because he felt it was funny.
Martinez went further to establish his respect for Mbappe, claiming he could not make fun of someone who put four goals past him in a final and reiterating his respect for the Frenchman with the statement that Mbappe is the best French player he has ever seen.
"People threw a lot of dolls at us along the way; they threw almost a hundred at us during the journey," Martinez told France Football, per Ole.
"At that moment, a doll with Mbappe's face fell at my feet. I picked it up because it made me laugh; I grabbed it for two seconds and threw it back, that's all.
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"How could I make fun of Mbappe? If he put me in four goals! Four goals in the final... He must think I'm his doll!
"I repeat: I have enormous respect for Mbappe. And I'll even tell you one thing: he's the best French player I've ever seen."
The singing incident
Following the World Cup win, the Argentine national team took their dressing room celebrations to social media, and in one of the videos, the Argentina squad were signing “a minute silence," and following a silence, Emiliano Martinez was heard loudly in one of the rounds adding "for Mbappe, who is dead." The song did not go down well with the French public, and Emiliano Martinez has explained to France Football the spirit behind it.
"So, the locker room thing is a locker room thing and should never have come out," the goalkeeper said.
"When France beat us in 2018, I remember there were songs about Messi (involving Kanté, who had marked him very well).
"The same, if a team beats Brazil, they will sing about Neymar. There is nothing personal against Mbappé. I respect him enormously. If we sing about him or about Neymar it is because they are some cracks."
Martinez was among the first to console Mbappe following the World Cup final loss to Argentina on penalties.
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