France is quickly running out of patience with Argentina’s World Cup celebrations involving them.
The Argentina players have on several occasions referenced French players in their celebrations, in particular asking for a moment’s silence for Kylian Mbappe on Sunday as the Argentina squad took part in a conga around the dressing room.
Since arriving back in their home country, Emiliano Martinez has been spotted with a baby with Mbappe’s face on it, and more recently, described Aurelien Tchouameni’s missed penalty to an audience.
The French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet has run out of patience for it all, and as per Diario AS, has written to Chiqui Tapia, head of the Argentina Football Association.
“I have written a letter to my counterpart from the Argentine Federation, I find these excesses abnormal in the context of a sports competition and it is difficult for me to understand them. They go too far. Mbappé’s behaviour has been exemplary.”
He is not the only senior official to express his misgivings. Minister of the Economy Bruno Le Maire has also asked FIFA to step in.
“What does FIFA do? Sport is fair-play, it is respecting others, respecting the one who has lost, not insulting the loser.”
It is hard to know exactly whether they should be punished formally for some of these comments, or if it may be better for the Albiceleste to face trial by public opinion. Football almost always provides an opportunity for revenge and that will be relished by France next time round.
