Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, has been handed a two-match ban by FIFA for “offensive behavior,” as announced by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) on Saturday. The 32-year-old Aston Villa player was also found guilty of “violating principles of fair play” in two separate incidents.
One of the violations occurred after Argentina’s World Cup qualifier victory over Chile on September 5, when Martinez was seen holding a replica of the Copa America trophy to his groin. This act was deemed inappropriate by FIFA and a breach of its code of conduct. It is not the first time the goalkeeper has displayed such behavior, as he previously made a similar gesture with the Golden Glove trophy following Argentina’s penalty shootout win over France in the 2022 World Cup final.
In a separate incident, Martinez was also penalized for striking a TV cameraman’s equipment with his gloves after Argentina’s 2-1 loss to Colombia on September 10.
The AFA expressed their dissatisfaction with FIFA’s ruling. Due to the ban, Martinez will miss Argentina’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela on October 10 and Bolivia on October 15. His absence comes at a crucial time, as Argentina currently leads the South American qualifying table with 18 points after eight matches, just two points ahead of Colombia.
Martinez has been a key figure in Argentina’s recent successes, playing a pivotal role in their 2021 Copa America victory and their World Cup triumph. His suspension could impact Argentina’s momentum in the ongoing qualification campaign.
