Argentina forward Papu Gómez has defender Aston Villa goalkeeper Dibu Martínez as he continues to face criticism for his exuberant celebrations.
Martínez again found himself in the limelight during the World Cup, with a series of impressive performances as Argentina went on to win the tournament.
He was a key player throughout his country’s time in Qatar but none more so than in the final, when he save two penalties in the shootout with France to ensure it was his side who took home the trophy.
Those saves were followed by his now customary celebrations, in which the Argentine will often celebrate wildly, sometimes even antagonising his opponents in the process.
It is something he has been doing for several years, with a series of infamous incidents, including during their Copa America success, lining his past.
Those celebrations have often seen the Aston Villa goalkeeper criticised, with some accusing him of a lack of professionalism and class for what he’s done.
That is something that is seemingly shared in the upper echelons of the game, with it reported last month that the International Football Association Board are planning to introduce new rules to clamp down on gamesmanship.
This would stop goalkeepers from doing anything with the intention of distracting a penalty taker, another trick Martínez has used to his advantage in the last few years.
“He’s super intelligent, very focused, he knows what he wants, he has very clear objectives,” El Destape report him saying.
“Why, if I score a goal, I can dance but if he makes a save, he can’t? What he does is perfect, he celebrates a penalty, a save.
“If he has to do a little dance, he does it, and if he has to talk to you… In other words, the goalkeeper has taken centre stage. Maybe the goalkeeper used to be a bit of an outsider, but today I see him as more integrated into the team.”
¡Habló de todo! Papu se refirió a las críticas en torno al comportamiento de Dibu Martínez dentro del terreno de juego. 🧤
Mañana 8/02 Entrevista a Papu Gómez con @diegokorol10 por DSPORTS y @DGO_Latam.
Desde las 22:00 🇦🇷🇺🇾🇨🇱🇪🇨🇨🇴 | 22:30 🇵🇪 pic.twitter.com/oe1QDTA9UR
— DSPORTS (@DSports) February 7, 2023
