The Ballon d’Or ceremony was an opportunity for Kylian Mbappé and Emiliano Martinez to meet again and talk about the World Cup final last December.
Like Lionel Messi, who won his eighth Ballon d’Or thanks to Argentina’s sole victory in Qatar, Emiliano Martinez was named the best goalkeeper in the world by the jury assembled by France Football. The Argentine goalkeeper has indeed won the 2023 Yachine Trophy and here again, the victory of the Albiceleste at the World Cup will have been enough to make us forget the complicated season experienced by the tormentor of the Blues with Aston Villa.
The audience at the Théâtre de Châtelet had obviously not forgotten Dibu Martinez’s mockery aimed at the Blues after Argentina’s victory. Whether in the den of the Lusail Stadium in the euphoria of the moment or a few days later, once back home. This is evidenced by the whistles blown by the native of Mar del Plata, particularly when the images of the World Cup final were broadcast, with Didier Drogba, the master of ceremonies, even being forced to intervene.
Mbappé without hard feelings
If French supporters have not forgiven his attacks against Kylian Mbappé, the latter was much more magnanimous as evidenced by the scene recounted in the columns of The Team. The French striker actually met the Argentinian goalkeeper on the sidelines of the ceremony and the two men spoke in a cordial manner.
It was the Albiceleste goalkeeper who met the former Monegasque, questioning him about his first penalty. “I know you’re big, so I had to shoot in the corner, low to the ground,” replied the Frenchman, who was going to score a second penalty before converting his shot on goal.
