Lisandro Martinez defends Argentina over World Cup trophy lift reaction
Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez has insisted that Argentina did not disrespect Spain by turning their backs during the 2026 World Cup trophy presentation.
The South American side faced intense scrutiny and were widely labelled as classless after footage showed almost the entire squad facing away as their European rivals celebrated.
Former England international Stuart Pearce and Spain midfielder Dani Olmo were among prominent figures who publicly condemned the actions of the defeated finalists.
Acknowledging the supporters
Only Palmeiras striker Flaco Lopez was seen watching as Rodri hoisted the iconic golden trophy following the showpiece event.
However, the United centre-back has now clarified that the squad was simply demonstrating gratitude towards their own travelling fanbase rather than snubbing the victors.
“We were always very respectful of the opponent,” Martinez told reporters.
“It was also said that after the final, we hadn’t acknowledged Spain, but we greeted all the players and all the coaching staff.”
“The image that you see where we are turning our backs is when our people were singing to us, so it was a show of respect towards our people, staying there in the moment.”
‘Mixed feelings’ over villain status
The 2022 world champions were repeatedly accused of utilising aggressive tactics throughout the recent tournament.
Football’s global governing body, FIFA, has subsequently launched a formal investigation to determine if disciplinary codes were breached during ensuing post-match altercations.
When asked about his nation being cast as the villains of the competition, the former Ajax defender admitted the accusations caused him deep frustration.
“I have quite a few mixed feelings about it, a little bit of anger because clearly they have no basis to generate that hate,” he added.
“I see how my teammates fight on the pitch, how the fans encourage us, and they talk about us being arrogant, but maybe that speaks a bit more about the people who do those things than about us.”