The World Cup final between Argentina and France was no less than an emotional rollercoaster. Soccer fans will never forget this iconic match, which left an enduring impression on the history of the game. While the match had its fair share of serious moments, you will be surprised to learn about an unexpected and side-splitting incident where Argentine shot-stopper Emiliano Martinez made an obscene gesture at the face of French sensation Kylian Mbappe.

This never-seen incident was revealed via Netflix’s latest documentary about the 2022 FIFA World Cup namely ‘Captains of the World‘. Soccer stars including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Gareth Bale, and Simon Kjaer share their experiences in Qatar. 

Emiliano Martinez’s witty yet controversial gesture in Kylian Mbappe’s face

While soccer fans continue to binge-watch the anticipated show, renowned Mexican writer and transfer news specialist Fernando Esquivel took the opportunity to shed light on a specific instance during the World Cup final. He shared a clip of when France won a penalty. As their lethal striker Kylian Mbappe bent to position the ball at the spot, Martinez came and jokingly lunged in his groin area toward the PSG star, making it look like a shoving gesture. Although the Frenchman reacted by quickly raising his head and giving a small laugh, Polish referee Szymon Marciniak quickly intervened and verbally warned the Argentinian goalkeeper.

It’s good that Kylian Mbappe took it lightheartedly during such a tense moment. Ironically, Dibu’s antics didn’t stop there, as after receiving the Golden Glove award, the Aston Villa star took the trophy near his crotch area and made another obscene gesture while celebrating. Either way, it is quite a hilarious moment from Martinez. Perhaps it must be one of his mind games to distract his opponents. 

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Dibu Martinez admits playing in the FIFA World Cup with mind games

In the same documentary, Martinez admitted to playing mind games during the penalty shootouts in the quarterfinals against the Netherlands, as well as in the final against France, in order to distract his opponents. “Goalkeeping is all your mind. It’s about visualizing what happened. The box is mine. It’s my box; it’s my place,” he said. 

Following his psychological techniques, FIFA implemented new rules for goalkeepers, explicitly barring them from intimidating or distracting penalty kickers by kicking the goalposts and the net. When asked about his thoughts on the rule change, the Argentinian answered with humor, claiming that it was too late to change the regulations.

What are your thoughts on the unexpected gestures from Emiliano Martinez? Let us know in the comments. 

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