'It made me very angry': Emiliano Martinez' senseless aggression against Colombia

Goalkeeper Emiliano 'Dibu' Martínez, one of the great heroes of the 2022 World Cup and the Copa América in Argentina, continues to shine as a controversial figure. The Argentine has been caught up in yet another scandal, following his aggressive behavior after losing to Colombia.

At the Roberto Meléndez Metropolitan Stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia faced off against Argentina in a highly anticipated rematch. This time, the stakes were high as both teams clashed in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. The Colombians sought redemption, and the match ended in a thrilling victory for them.

Led by James Rodriguez, the Colombian team won 2-1. 'Dibu' conceded two goals, the first from Yerson Mosquera and the second from James, who scored from a penalty - controversial in the eyes of Lionel Scaloni - the great specialty of the Argentine goalkeeper.

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After Argentina's defeat, Martinez crossed paths with a cameraman on his way back to the locker rooms, a typical post-match scene. However, what shocked everyone was Martinez's aggressive reaction. The 'Golden Glove' winner of the Qatar 2022 World Cup lashed out unexpectedly...

Just as he appeared on screen, Martinez dealt a strong blow to the camera lens that was focused on him, moving it out of his way and blurring the image, as seen on live television.

Image: TyC Sports broadcast

In statements to Noticia RCN, the latest 'victim' of the Argentine goalkeeper, cameraman Johnny Jackson explained what he experienced on the pitch: "I see Dibu shaking hands with two substitute goalkeepers and I approach him, and out of nowhere he hits me. It made me angry, it made me very angry. I am working, just like he is doing, saving."

"When the final whistle blows, as a cameraman and steadycam operator, I always go looking for reactions because the director starts telling me over the intercom. I simply walk onto the pitch. After 90 minutes, everyone is tired, and I look for reactions," he added.

"I wasn't even playing football with him, it made me very angry, but I didn't say anything to him at the time. I wanted to tell him to calm down. In life, everyone has lost a game, for you, that defeat meant a lot, but... go ahead, Dibu," Jackson concluded ironically.

The Colombian newspaper El Heraldo recalled that 'El Dibu' has had his particular feud with Colombians since he had a clash with Miguel Angel Borja, Yerry Mina, and Davinson Sanchez in the semifinals of the 2021 Copa América. Something that was reflected in this match, where he received whistles from the warm-up and every time he touched the ball.

This is not the first time that the current Aston Villa goalkeeper has been the talk of the town for making a controversial gesture. The most memorable was his ugly gesture when receiving the 'Golden Glove' in Qatar for the best goalkeeper of the 2022 World Cup, mocking the trophy.

In addition, he makes constant provocations towards opposing players when they take penalties, something that earned him a yellow card in the last edition of the Conference League.

With that senseless aggression after his defeat against Colombia, Martinez once again demonstrated his conflicting nature, without forgetting his enormous quality between the posts. He is a footballer who does not know how to win, nor lose.

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