"I think it's cheating" – Pundit blasts Emiliano Martinez for what he did during penalty shootout win over France in 2022 FIFA World Cup final

Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has hit out at Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez for his behavior during the recent 2022 FIFA World Cup final penalty shootout win against France.

Argentina lifted their third FIFA World Cup trophy after triumphing 4-2 on penalties in Lusail, Qatar on Sunday (December 18). While Lionel Messi netted a brace and Angel Di Maria scored once during regulation time, Kylian Mbappe bagged a sensational hat-trick in the final stages to force the contest into a thrilling penalty shootout.

Martinez, 30, emerged as a hero as he denied Kingsley Coman in the shootout, though his antics have caused controversy. Prior to Aurelien Tchouameni's spot kick, he was seen throwing the ball away in an attempt to hamper the midfielder's concentration levels. Ultimately, his antics worked as the Real Madrid star's effort ended wide.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Jordan slammed Martinez for his penalty shootout antics and labeled them as 'cheating'. He said:

"Martinez's actions, I think it's cheating, the holding of the ball and throwing it the other way. The goalkeeper's actions, I don't think it was gamesmanship, I don't think it’s part of the game."

Sharing his thoughts on the particular incident, Jordan continued:

"For a referee to allow the goalkeeper to manipulate the circumstances, to heighten the pressure, to increase it, I think was one of the shortcomings in that moment in time."

Martinez, who registered three clean sheets in seven 2022 FIFA World Cup matches, was handed the Golden Glove award for his significant contributions to Argentina's success. Apart from his penalty shootout heroics in the high-octane summit clash, the Aston Villa star also pulled off a world-class save to deny Randal Kolo Muani late on.

Martinez, on the other hand, is a doubt for Aston Villa's next home Premier League clash against Liverpool on Monday (December 26). So far, he has registered four clean sheets in 16 club games this season.

Former France striker slams Emiliano Martinez for 2022 FIFA World Cup antics

Speaking to Paddy Power, former France striker Louis Saha blasted Emiliano Martinez for his controversial groin celebration after bagging the 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Glove award. He elaborated:

"His antics are going to be remembered for a long time and that's sad. He had a great tournament, and he didn't need to do it. It was more about his adrenaline and some people do things without thinking and just instinctively do something they'll regret."

Sharing his thoughts on his celebration, Saha continued:

"I haven't seen or heard any apology from him for his actions, but it's sad because the conversation takes away from the great World Cup he had. It doesn't help anything, and I don't know what he was trying to say by doing it – it was really quite awkward."