Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez said on Monday that he hopes he won’t “offend anyone else” after publicly accepting the two-game ban FIFA slapped him with on Saturday.
The goalkeeper, a key man in the Argentine men’s national football team, will miss the team’s upcoming clashes with Venezuela and Bolivia in October, part of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
FIFA said the two-game suspension was because Martínez was responsible for “offensive behavior” and had violated the principles of fair play. It followed his actions at the last two South American qualifying matches against Chile and Colombia. The Argentine Football Association has objected to the ban.
Following a 3-0 routing of Chile at home on September 5 — after which the Albiceleste hosted an on the pitch celebration of the 2024 Copa América title with the home fans — Martínez rehashed his iconic gesture, placing the trophy over his genitals.
The gesture, which he first did when Argentina won the Copa América in 2021, is generally adored by Argentine fans. However, it has landed Martínez in hot water before.
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Five days later, after a 2-1 loss in an away game against Colombia, Martínez pushed a Colombian camera operator after the final whistle. The move was condemned by the Colombian Association of Sports Journalists, who issued a statement demanding “an exemplary sanction” from FIFA.
On Monday, Martínez published an Instagram message acknowledging the decision. “I accept FIFA’s ban and apologize if I’ve offended anyone. Celebrations are a time for making kids smile, not for disrespecting anyone,” he said. “I’ll try not to offend anyone else and focus on winning titles with Argentina and [his club] Aston Villa.” He also said he didn’t think the gesture was offensive. FIFA, on the other hand, clearly saw it as a dick move.
Who will replace ‘Dibu’ Martínez as Argentina goalkeeper?
Martínez has been one of Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni’s most important players, so much so that it’s been over two years since the Albiceleste lined up for an official game without “Dibu” between the sticks. On March 29, 2022 it was Gerónimo Rulli who played as Argentina took on Ecuador in the Qatar 2022 qualifiers, finishing 1-1.
Rulli, from La Plata, is once again the top contender to replace the Aston Villa goalkeeper. He was the starting goalkeeper for the Olympic football team in Paris 2024, and is enjoying a great run of form for club team Olympique Marseille, who are currently third in the French league.
Another solid choice could be Walter Benítez. The 31-year old is the starting man for Dutch league leaders PSV Eindhoven, where he’s only received four goals in eight games. He was also the last man to deputize for “Dibu” when he started for Argentina in a friendly against Costa Rica in March.