- Argentina won the World Cup beating France
- Otamendi was picked ahead of Martinez
- Parker feels that Martinez will be ‘furious’
WHAT HAPPENED? The United defender earned his first World Cup medal as Argentina got the better of France in a final penalty shootout after the two teams were locked at 3-3 at the end of 120 minutes. However, Martinez didn’t see a single minute of action in the Qatar showpiece as Benfica’s Nicolas Otamendi got the nod ahead of him in the heart of Lionel Scaloni’s defence. Indeed, the United star only started two of Argentina’s seven games in the tournament, and Parker believes he will look back on it as a “bad experience”.
WHAT THEY SAID: “When I looked at him I never got the feeling that he didn’t want to be there. But of course, he must have been furious that Nicolas Otamendi played instead of him, which is absolutely crazy. He will be disappointed. Without a shadow of a doubt. He won the final but he didn’t play in the final and that is a weird feeling,” The former United defender told BeMyBet.
“It’s a different feeling to win a medal and put it around your neck when you didn’t really contribute to the team on the pitch. He will return with a medal and a bad experience.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Martinez did not look perturbed by his lack of minutes in the World Cup and expressed his joy after being crowned a world champion with a heartfelt post on Instagram. “Everyone’s biggest dream! Champions of the world!” he wrote.
Meanwhile, his United team-mate Scott McTominay also revealed that Martinez is eager to win more trophies when he gets back to Old Trafford after picking up the biggest prize in international football.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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WHAT NEXT FOR MARTINEZ? The centre-back will shift his focus to club football after taking part in Argentina’s wild World Cup celebrations in Buenos Aires, but it is not yet clear whether he will be back for United’s Premier League clash with Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.
