Argentina's Emiliano Martinez hits camera after losing to Colombia

Goalkeeper Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martinez slapped a television camera following him minutes after Argentina's 2-1 defeat to Colombia on Tuesday in the eighth match of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in Barranquilla.

Martinez, who sometimes loses his temper, greeted several Colombian players on the pitch, including his Aston Villa team-mate Jhon Jader Duran, but at one point he went off and hit the camera with his hand. Then, as if nothing had happened, ‘Dibu’ continued walking and hugging his teammates.

What happened was captured by the cameras broadcasting the match in Barranquilla and quickly uploaded to social media, where it was seen by Colombian fans as a gesture of a sore loser. With the 2-1 win, Colombia broke a 31-year winless streak against the ‘Albiceleste’ at the Metropolitano stadium in Barranquilla.

A few hours after Dibu Martinez's blow, the cameraman who received his blow spoke out on social media. He claimed that they were both doing their job and that he had no reason to treat him like that, although he sent him a message of kindness and understanding.

 

September 10, 2024