Saved penalty kicks contributing to Argentina's victory
Awarded the 'Golden Glove' for best goalkeeper
Awkward ceremony at the awards event embarrasses global broadcasters
Argentinian goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez (left) is celebrating after receiving the Golden Glove award at the 2022 Qatar World Cup victory ceremony on the 19th (Korean time). Photo by AP·Yonhap News
[Asia Economy Reporter Bang Je-il] Emiliano Martinez, the goalkeeper who led Argentina to victory in the 2022 Qatar World Cup, is embroiled in controversy for performing an inappropriate celebration upon receiving the 'Golden Glove' award given to the tournament's best goalkeeper.
On the 19th (Korean time) at the Lusail Stadium in Qatar, Argentina faced France in the final, ending in a 3-3 draw after a fierce battle, and won the trophy by 4-2 in the penalty shootout. Martinez made crucial saves throughout the match. In particular, during the penalty shootout, he blocked the shot of France's second kicker, Kingsley Coman, greatly contributing to Argentina's victory. Unlike Martinez, France's goalkeeper Hugo Lloris failed to stop any of Argentina's four kickers' shots.
After the match, Martinez showed tears, saying, "It was a moment when I had to do something for my teammates. It was really tough conceding three goals, but in the end, we made it." Besides the shootout against France, Martinez also played a key role as Argentina's guardian by saving shots from the Netherlands' first and second kickers in the quarterfinal penalty shootout. Thanks to these performances, Martinez not only led his country to victory but also became the recipient of the 'Golden Glove' award given to the best goalkeeper.
The controversial moment occurred during the award ceremony. Martinez, unable to contain his joy after receiving the Golden Glove, performed an obscene celebration. He placed the Golden Glove, shaped like a hand, near his lower body and leaned his upper body backward. This embarrassing scene was broadcast live worldwide through the cameras.
Upon seeing this, the US Fox commentary team sighed, "Oh, no." The UK BBC commentary team also showed embarrassment, saying, "No, don't do that." The UK media outlet The Sun criticized, "Martinez's celebration after receiving the tournament's best goalkeeper award has become controversial," adding, "This celebration shocked football fans around the world." Spanish media Marca also pointed out, "Martinez's behavior at the award ceremony likely made tournament officials uncomfortable."
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