Martinez booed when receiving 'Best Goalkeeper' award

France Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was booed by the audience at the Chatelet theatre as he received the Yasine award at the 2023 Ballon d'Or gala.

Martinez beat Ederson and Yassine Bono to win the award, which was presented by his father. While waiting for the award, the organizers showed videos of memorable moments of the 31-year-old goalkeeper, and then repeatedly displayed the moment he made a save with his foot against Randal Kolo Muani's shot in the 2022 World Cup final.

Emiliano Martinez and his father at the Ballon d'Or gala at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris, France, on the evening of October 30, 2023. Photo: Reuters — Emiliano Martinez and his father at the Ballon d'Or gala at the Chatelet Theatre in Paris, France, on the evening of October 30, 2023. Photo: *Reuters*

When those images appeared on the screen, the French audience booed and jeered. The presenter, also a former Chelsea striker, Didier Drogba, asked the audience to be more polite. The ceremony then continued without further incident.

The cameras also focused on French captain Kylian Mbappe and coach Didier Deschamps, and neither showed any emotion. This was because in the aforementioned final, France lost to Argentina on penalties. And if Muani's shot had gone in, the European team would most likely have won the championship.

Before the gala, when Martinez got out of the car to enter the red carpet, the French audience outside the theater also whistled. At the FIFA The Best ceremony on February 28, 2023, Martinez also suffered a similar situation. When asked about these situations, the goalkeeper who plays for Aston Villa told ESPN : "I find it normal, because we beat France to win the World Cup, and the Golden Ball and The Best were both awarded in Paris. If France won, I think the Argentinians would react the same way."

Martinez was a reserve goalkeeper at Arsenal from 2012 to 2020, but his career took off after moving to Aston Villa. He became the starting goalkeeper in the Premier League, was called up to the national team, and won three consecutive titles with Argentina: the Copa America, the Intercontinental Cup, and the World Cup. He was also chosen as the best goalkeeper at the World Cup, before winning the same award at The Best.

Top 10 best goalkeepers : 1- Emiliano Martinez, 2- Ederson, 3- Yassine Bono, 4- Thibaut Courtois, 5- Marc Andre ter Stegen, 6- Andre Onana, 7- Dominik Livakovic, 8- Aaron Ramsdale, 9- Mike Maignan, 10- Brice Samba.

Hoang An

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