Argentina’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, has been handed a two-match suspension by FIFA for "offensive behavior," the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed on Saturday.
The 32-year-old Aston Villa star, who played a key role in Argentina's recent international successes, was also found guilty of "violating principles of fair play" in two separate incidents.
The first violation occurred after Argentina's World Cup qualifier win against Chile on September 5, where Martinez was seen holding a replica of the Copa America trophy to his groin. This isn't the first time the goalkeeper has made headlines for such actions, as he previously performed a similar gesture with the Golden Glove trophy after Argentina’s dramatic World Cup final victory against France in 2022.
In a separate incident, Martinez was sanctioned for hitting a TV cameraman's equipment with his gloves after Argentina’s 2-1 defeat to Colombia on September 10.
The Argentine Football Association expressed dissatisfaction with the ruling, stating, "The Argentine Football Association expresses its absolute disagreement with the decision taken by the FIFA disciplinary committee."
As a consequence of the suspension, Martinez will miss Argentina’s upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Venezuela on October 10 and Bolivia on October 15. Argentina currently leads the South American qualifying table with 18 points from eight matches, with Colombia trailing just two points behind.
Martinez’s absence is a blow for Argentina, as he has been instrumental in their success, contributing to their Copa America win in July and the earlier 2021 edition.
