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France striker Kylian Mbappe has responded to Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez's mockery of him in the aftermath of the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.
Mbappe was part of the French side that suffered a heartbreaking 4-2 penalty shootout defeat to Argentina in the final of the World Cup. Martinez has been poking fun at Mbappe's disappointment and drew the ire of fans by asking for a minute's silence for the French forward in the dressing room after the final.
He was also seen holding a doll with the Frenchman's face on it during Argentina's victory parade in Buenos Aires days later. Mbappe has now responded to Martinez's mockery, saying that he will not waste his energy on the shot-stopper's antics.
He said (via 90min):
"They are not my problem. I don’t have energy to waste on such futile things."
The Frenchman has returned to Paris Saint-Germain and scored a vital 96th-minute penalty as his side beat Strasbourg 2-1 on Wednesday (December 28). He has put the heartbreak of the FIFA World Cup final loss behind him and concentrating on club football:
"I'll never digest it. But like I told my coach and teammates, there’s no reason that my club should pay for a defeat with my national team, it’s two different situations.
The PSG attacker added:
"The message was simple - it was to show that, whatever goes on with the national team, PSG is a separate thing, and I’m still determined to bring every trophy to the capital."
The French forward bagged a hat-trick in the FIFA World Cup final during regulation time, with the teams entering the shootout after a 3-3 draw. Emi Martinez was then on hand to deny Kingsley Coman's spot-kick, while Aurelien Tchoumaeni shot wide as La Albiceleste won the illustrious trophy.
Kylian Mbappe and Emi Martinez shone at 2022 FIFA World Cup
The pair may be at loggerheads following the FIFA World Cup final, but they were two of the best performers during the tournament in Qatar.
The Frenchman scored eight goals and provided two assists in seven appearances, picking up the Golden Boot. He was instrumental in Les Bleus' pursuit of defending their crown and nearly helped the nation achieve a remarkable comeback victory in the final.
Meanwhile, Emi Martinez was handed the Golden Glove for his exploits in Qatar. The Argentine made seven appearances, keeping three clean sheets. He pulled off one of the most iconic saves in competition history to deny Randal Kolo Muani in the dying embers of extra time in the final.
