FIFA World Cup 2022 final: Emiliano Martinez, the Argentina goalkeeper slammed France forward Kylian Mbappe ahead the blockbuster final in Qatar. Both nations will to toe-to-toe at the Lusail Stadium on Sunday (December 18). However, Martinez had some stiff words for Mbappe who earlier this year claimed that South American football is not on the same level as European football.


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The forward said: "The advantage we have in Europe is that we play among ourselves with high-level matches all the time, such as the Nations League."


"When we arrive at the World Cup, we are ready, whereas Brazil and Argentina do not have this level in South America. Football is not as advanced as in Europe. That’s why at the last World Cups, it's always the Europeans who win."


To which Argentina goalkeeper Martinez replied, "He doesn't know enough about football. He never played in South America. When you don’t have this experience, it may be better not to talk about it. But it doesn't matter. We are a great team, recognised as such."


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Even Lionel Messi shares the same ideology as his national teammate. The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner said, "Many times we talked about that in Spain. When we returned from a qualifier, we told them, 'You don't know how difficult it would be for you to qualify for the World Cup if you had to go there, at altitude, in the heat, in Venezuela’."