Ex-Arsenal star Jack Wilshere hails World Cup bad boy Emiliano Martinez

Jack Wilshere has hailed World Cup bad boy Emiliano Martinez after his controversial behaviour in Qatar as Argentina won the tournament.

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Aston Villa and Argentina goalkeeper Martinez, who has spent his entire club career in England, has received widespread criticism over several incidents.

Martinez, who had an 10-year spell at Arsenal from 2010 to 2020, mocked Kylian Mbappe in the dressing room following Argentina’s victory on penalties despite the France striker scoring a hat-trick – with many feeling it was disrespectful.

The 30-year-old was also spotted lowering his Golden Glove trophy to his groin and thrusting it towards the crowd – explaining afterwards that he did it to mock French supporters.

During the penalty shootout, Martinez was also criticised for his unsportsmanlike antics, celebrating wildly in front of Kingsley Coman after saving his spot-kick and throwing the ball away before Aurelien Tchouameni stepped up and missed.

But former Gunners midfielder Wilshere hailed Martinez as he told The Sun: ‘I was watching [the final] it with my Arsenal coaching staff and we were all up and down like yo-yos.

‘I’m not going quite as far as to say I was crying when that final whistle went – but I just might have done if Lionel Messi had lost.

‘And to make the occasion absolutely perfect, there was my old Gunners pal Emi Martinez standing alongside him as a world champion, and after having performed so magnificently.

‘To watch Emi do what he’s done has been amazing. To have seen him as a 17-year-old kid at Arsenal, who went out on loan to the likes of Oxford, Rotherham and Sheffield Wednesday, to now be a World Cup winner.

‘I’m so happy for him. He made one of the best and most important saves ever in a World Cup final – that stop with his boot from Randal Kolo Muani right at the end of extra-time to get them to penalties.

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‘Seriously, that save has helped Messi to the prize we all so wanted for him and that he wanted more than anything.

‘Then Emi saves Kingsley Coman’s shootout kick – and messes with Aurelien Tchouameni’s head for him to miss.

‘He has an immense presence in goal. The target just gets smaller and smaller when he’s in it and I actually thought he would save one of Mbappe’s penalties before the shootout. He certainly came very close to it.

‘For him to win the Golden Glove as the best keeper – and the World Cup itself – is off the scale. It just shows why you should never give up in life.

‘He couldn’t get what he wanted, to be the first-team keeper at Arsenal, but now he’s on top of the world.’

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