‘Anti-Emi Martinez rule’ to ‘come into force’ after Argentina star’s World Cup final ‘sh*thousery’

An ‘anti-Emi Martinez rule’ is reportedly set to be enforced as the International Football Association Board (IFAB) are to discuss several rule changes.

Martinez was one of the World Cup’s standout performers as he helped Argentina win the tournament for the third time.

The South American side beat previous holders France 4-2 on penalties in the final. Martinez saved Kingsley Coman’s attempt before he got in the head of Real Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni, who shot wide.

The Aston Villa goalkeeper was accused of being unsportsmanlike both during and after the final. He used every trick in the book to put off France’s players and he even walked towards Randal Kolo Muani before his spot-kick.

Spanish outlet Marca are reporting that IFAB are ready to clamp down on these antics as an ‘anti-Martinez rule will come into force’ that will ‘prohibit’ goalkeepers ‘from distracting the shooter’ during penalty shootouts.

Examples of this are said to include ‘delaying the execution of the penalty or touching the posts, the crossbar or the goal net’.

Arsenal legend an Wright stated at the time that Martinez “crossed the line” during the final.

“I look at Emi Martinez, remember the sh*thousery with Auba [Martinez tried to put off Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang when he stepped up to take a penalty against Aston Villa in October 2021] and all that stuff he was doing at Arsenal,” Wright said.

“I was thinking this guy is going to go to another level of sh*thousery if this final goes to penalties. And he did.

“I like Emi but what he did in the penalty shootout crossed the line, in respect of sportsmanship. He crossed the line.”

Ex-Man Utd star Louis Saha added: “Martinez’s antics are going to be remembered for a long time and that’s a sad thing.

“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.”

Marca report that potential rule changes ‘will be discussed’ during an IFAB meeting in London ‘next weekend’.

FIFA officials and IFAB also want to reduce timewasting and ‘it would not be surprising if from 2024 football matches are no longer 90 minutes’.

‘Goal celebrations will now be included in added time’ as FIFA are ‘concerned’ by the amount of ‘dead time’ there is during matches.

The report adds: ‘Starting next July, goal celebrations, considered excessive in many cases, will become part of added time, something that was ignored until now.

‘The referees are obliged to make it clear who is reprimanded on the bench, nor can the coach be reprimanded for something that happens in the technical area without identifying it.’

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