Goalkeepers are now set to be banned from distracting penalty takers after Emi Martinez’s antics in the World Cup final at Qatar proved the final straw for football’s lawmakers.
The International Football Association Board are set to introduce new rules in order to ban keepers from acting in a way that puts opponents off from the spot.
As reported by The Sun, IFAB will ratify the new rules at their annual general meeting in March before they are introduced into the laws of football.
Martinez was the hero of their shootout victory against France in Qatar last month, having put off Les Bleus players by kicking the ball away and delaying their attempts from being taken.
He wad booked by referee Szymon Marciniak after France’s third penalty. Kingsley Coman and Aurelien Tchouameni missed for the 2018 champions, with Argentina scoring all four of their kicks.
IFAB’s new rules may also stop goalkeepers from dancing or making gestures on their goal-line as that is also seen as a distraction. Martinez could also be seen dancing on his line and shouting.
“It’s a moment that I always have to give to my teammates, they scored three goals against me and it hurt, but then I did everything right. It was a game of suffering, just two efforts against us and they drew level with us,” Martinez said.
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“It is in this moment that I have to give my teammates peace of mind. I could have stopped it [Mbappe’s penalty] too, I dived badly. But then I did everything right. I have no words for it.
“I was calm during the penalty shootout and everything went as we wanted. All that I have dreamed of has been achieved. To my family, I came from a very humble place, I left when I was very young to England and I want to dedicate it to them.”
