FIFA Suspends Argentina’s Goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez For 'Offensive Behavior,' Rules Him Out Of October Qualifiers
By: Abdulwasiu Akintunde
Aston Villa's goalkeeper, Emiliano Martinez, has been handed a ban by FIFA, ruling him out of Argentina’s next two matches for “offensive behavior.”
As gathered by OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News, the suspension is linked to two incidents that occurred during the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia earlier this month.
Following Argentina's 3-0 victory over Chile on September 6, Martinez repeated his controversial 2022 World Cup celebration by holding a replica Copa America trophy near his crotch.
This match was Argentina’s first since winning the Copa America in the United States in July.
On September 10, Martinez struck a camera with his gloves as a cameraman approached him on the pitch after Argentina's 2-1 loss to Colombia.
The Argentina Football Association has expressed its disagreement with the suspension but acknowledged that Martinez was “responsible” for his actions.
As a result, Martinez will miss Argentina's upcoming qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia in October.
Martinez, who won the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper at the 2022 World Cup, repeated a similar celebration with the trophy after its presentation.
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