Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez hits back at Kylian Mbappé's World Cup claim

Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez will once again be Argentina’s starting goalkeeper at the 2024 Copa América, which will take place in the United States between 20 June and 14 July. In an interview with TyC Sports in his homeland, the Aston Villa star spoke about his hopes ahead of the tournament and the 2024 Olympics Games in Paris, although his message for new Real Madrid attacker Kylian Mbappé was what most grabbed the attention.

Martínez rubbishes Mbappé's European Championship suggestion

Martínez, who won the Golden Glove as La Albiceleste won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, bit back at Mbappé's suggestions that winning a European Championship is more difficult than a World Cup: “This year’s Copa América is going to be tougher than the previous one, but there is nothing more difficult than a World Cup. You have to play at different venues, you travel every three days, it’s really hot, you train in the heat, you play the final after being away for 40 days...there’s a lot of wear and tear.”

The 31-year-old also revealed he had never received as much abuse in his career as during Villa’s recent Conference League penalty shootout victory away to Lille, whose fans booed him throughout as they remembered his controversial antics during the Argentina-France final in Lusail.

“They insulted me the entire game, I’ve never been insulted so much in my entire life. They threw everything at me. In the 120 minutes, I didn’t make a single gesture towards them. In the penalty shootout, I saved the first one and I shushed the supporters that had been insulting me in the stand behind the goal. We won in the end but I missed the first leg of the semifinal because of that yellow card.”

Martínez puts country over club: will he play for Argentina at the Olympics?

Despite winning the World Cup 18 months ago, Martínez believes he has yet to peak. “I feel I’m a much more complete goalkeeper than at my first Copa América (in 2021) and the World Cup. I know my best is yet to come and I want to prepare for the next 15-20 days like never before.”

The former Arsenal stopper says there is a great atmosphere in the Argentina camp ahead of the upcoming tournament, which has been the key to their recent successes: “We got here and everybody is happy. We hang out or play until 10 at night, people are enjoying themselves. We’re just guys having a good time.”

Finally, Martínez spoke of his keenness to play at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, despite Aston Villa’s reluctance to allow him to do so. “I was able to speak to (Olympic team coach) Javier Mascherano, I told him about my desire to play, although the club has told me I can’t many times. I know that I have to fight against the club. It isn’t 100% a given but I want to go. It is not mandatory for players to go and Aston Villa won’t be letting anyone go. But I always put the national team first and if I have to fight with my club I will do it. The Copa América comes first and then the Olympics.”