Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has slammed the Argentine international Emiliano Martinez for his lack of sportsmanship.
The 30-year-old goalkeeper has been criticised for his antics against France in the World Cup final on Sunday.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper was trying to intimidate his opponents throughout the game and during the penalty shootout as well.
Martinez did his best to unsettle the French players during the penalty shootout, and he was seen throwing the ball away when Aurelien Tchouameni stepped up to take his penalty.
The Real Madrid midfielder ended up missing his spot kick and that proved to be decisive in the shootout.
Wright claims that he had seen signs of Martinez’s unsportsmanlike behaviour at Arsenal, and he knew that the 30-year-old would go on to become an agent of chaos in the game.
The former Arsenal star also added that Martinez crossed a line during the World Cup final.
On his podcast, Wright said: “I like Emi, but what he did in the shootout crossed the line, in respect of sportsmanship. He crossed the line.”
Regardless of his antics, the 30-year-old was of the best players in the World Cup and he was a key reason why Argentina managed to win the tournament.
Furthermore, he has been exceptional with his goalkeeping for Aston Villa as well. He has suddenly gone on to a whole new level since leaving Arsenal and the player has been linked with a move to Tottenham in recent weeks.
The London club will need to replace Hugo Lloris in the upcoming windows, and Martinez could prove to be an exceptional acquisition for them.