Game respects game! Emi Martinez makes Kylian Mbappe Ballon d’Or prediction and plays down World Cup rivalry with French forward

• Martinez has a chequered past with Mbappe
• Lavished praise on French forward
• Believes the PSG star will win "a lot of Ballon d'Ors"

WHAT HAPPENED? The Argentina keeper found himself in the eye of controversy after he was spotted holding a doll with Mbappe’s face on it during an open-top bus parade in Buenos Aires celebrating their 2022 World Cup win. Moreover, he also allegedly rallied his teammates in the dressing room after beating France in the 2022 World Cup final to sing a "minute's silence" in tandem, before leaving a gap for the goalkeeper to shout "For Mbappe who is dead!"

However, Martinez then tried to play down his antics as a bit of fun and insisted that he has nothing but respect for the Paris Saint-Germain frontman. He continued to lavish praise on the forward on the sidelines of the 2023 Ballon d’Or award, in which Mbappe finished third behind Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland.

WHAT THEY SAID: “It is not for nothing that he is considered one of the best in the world. I have a lot of respect for him as a player and as a man,” he told L'Equipe after collecting his Yachine Trophy for having been elected best goalkeeper of the year.

"Kylian is an example to follow. He is phenomenal. Winning a World Cup, playing in the next final and scoring a hat-trick... All French people should be proud to have a player like him. When Leo (Messi) and (Cristiano) Ronaldo will retire, Kylian will follow the same path as them. He will win a lot of Golden Balls.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Although Mbappe was visibly distraught after missing out on the Golden Ball, he showed his class by sending a "you deserve it" message to Messi after the Argentine bagged a record-extending eighth Golden Ball trophy in Paris on Monday evening.

The 24-year-old will be vying for the award next year as he will have the opportunity to fire PSG to their first Champions League trophy along with a shot at Euro 2024 and the 2024 Summer Olympics with the French national team.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

Getty Images

Getty

Getty Images

WHAT NEXT? Mbappe will be back in action against Montpellier on Friday evening in Ligue 1 whereas, Martinez and his Aston Villa teammates face Nottingham Forest in the Premier League a couple of days later.