Soccer

‘Not my problem’ - Kylian Mbappé responds to Emi Martínez’s World Cup celebrations

French forward scores late penalty to secure PSG 2-1 win over Strasbourg

Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring a late penalty to beat Strasbourg on Wednesday night. Photograph: Getty Images
Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe celebrates scoring a late penalty to beat Strasbourg on Wednesday night. Photograph: Getty Images
Thu Dec 29 2022 - 14:50

Kylian Mbappé has insisted that he was not concerned by the Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez’s celebrations following the World Cup final but admitted he will “probably never get over” France’s defeat.

Mbappé became the first player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final since England’s Geoff Hurst in 1966, but still ended up on the losing side after Martínez’s heroics in the penalty shoot-out.

[ Kylian Mbappé does his best to change the script but cannot save France ]

The Aston Villa goalkeeper called for a minute’s silence for Mbappé during his team’s dressingroom celebrations in Qatar and posed with a doll depicting the player during their parade in Buenos Aires. The Aston Villa manager, Unai Emery, has said he will speak to Martínez about his celebrations.

“The celebrations, they’re not my problem,” said Mbappé after Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-1 win over Strasbourg on Wednesday. “I don’t waste any energy on such futile things. What’s important for me is to give the best of myself for my club, and we’re looking forward for Leo [Messi] to return to continue scoring and winning matches.”

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Martínez is due back at Villa training on Thursday and could feature against Tottenham on Sunday, while Messi is expected to fly back to France on New Year’s Day having been granted an extended break by PSG.

“I talked to him after the match, I congratulated him,” Mbappé added. “It was a life’s goal for him, for me as well, but I failed, so you must always remain a good sportsman. I don’t think [the defeat] will ever really be swallowed. But as I told my [PSG] coach and team-mates, there’s no reason that my club pays the price for a failure with the national team. It was a complicated time ... PSG isn’t responsible for our defeat. I tried to come back with the best energy possible, being as positive as possible.” – Guardian