FIFA World Cup: French minister calls Argentina ‘inelegant winners’

PARIS: French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera on Friday accused Argentine players of being “inelegant winners” and “vulgar” for mocking her country’s star Kylian Mbappe after winning the World Cup final.“As much as our French team knew how to lose with panache, so the manner in which this Argentine team acted after this victory was not worthy of the match we saw,” the minister told French radio station RTL.Oudea-Castera singled out goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who was seen in the victory parade in Buenos Aires holding a baby doll its face covered with a photo of French star Mbappe.Immediately after the match had been heard in the Argentina changing room demanding: “A minute of silence... for Mbappe.”Mbappe scored a hat-trick as France twice fought back to take the game to a shootout and then beat Martinez with the opening kick.“I find it pitiful,” said Oudea-Castera.“It’s just vulgar, inappropriate, really not up to the occasion,” she said“This Emiliano Martinez is not distinguishing himself.