Unseen World Cup footage shows Argentine Premier League star keeping distance from Falklands flag as Argentina fans fume

EMI MARTINEZ has been criticised by some fans in Argentina after footage emerged of the goalkeeper standing apart from team-mates and their controversial Falklands flag. Argentine Premier League stars Cristian Romero and Lisandro Martinez, as well as ex-Tottenham flop Giovani Lo Celso, unfurled a flag with the message “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” – meaning “The Falklands are Argentine” – after beating England in the World Cup semi-finals. Emi Martinez was spotted standing away from the flag Credit: X/ElMasGrannde The gesture provoked fury in England, given the 1982 conflict over the islands that cost hundreds of lives, and that inhabitants have voted overwhelmingly to remain British. Hothead midfielder Leandro Paredes even doubled down on the controversial celebration after the game by claiming that the Falklands “will always be Argentine”. Sign up for the Football newsletter Thank you! In new footage that has emerged of the celebrations, Aston Villa‘s Argentine goalkeeper Martinez can be seen standing apart from the flag waving. There is no suggestion as to whether this was because he did, or did not, agree with its message. But some Argentine fans have decided to criticise him nonetheless. One called him a “disgrace” while another called the supposed gesture “shameful”. Others used X-rated slurs. After the match, Martinez praised his team-mates for “playing with a knife between their teeth” and added that England stars “didn’t feel the same way”. Most read in Football BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS Argentina’s controversial flag could land them in hot water with Fifa Credit: AFP When asked if the Falklands conflict had played its part in their motivation, Martinez was not convinced. He is quoted as saying, in his native Spanish, “I don’t think it’s because of that. It’s in the past. I wasn’t even born.” Earlier this week, Fifa opened a disciplinary investigation against Argentina for the flag, as well as for their players’ reactions to losing the final to Spain. Fifa rules ban players from “using a sports event for ­demonstrations of a non-sporting nature”. In 2014, Argentina were hit with a £20,000 fine for holding up a banner with a similar Falklands message before a match against Slovenia. Comment now