Drogba Defends Emiliano Martinez Against Ballon d'Or Hecklers at Yashin Award Presentation

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Emiliano Martinez won the Yashin Trophy at the 2023 Ballon d'Or after Argentina won the World Cup in 2022.

France supporters booed the custodian as he stepped onto the stage at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.

As a clip of his amazing save in the closing embers of the 2022 World Cup final was aired, Didier Drogba, who led the awards event, had to stop supporters from booing him, pleading 'please, please, respect' in French.

Martinez stole the show by stopping a last-second goal from France's Randal Kolo Muani after the forward went one-on-one with the shot-stopper.

In the next shootout, he also saved two penalties, helping his team win a remarkable third World Cup triumph.

A replay of his save against Muani was played on a giant screen behind the stage, prompting spectators to boo, with Drogba stepping in to implore 'please' once again.

Chants of 'Mbappe' were also heard from the crowd, following reports that the custodian had insulted Kylian Mbappe after the World Cup final.

Martinez, however, had the last laugh, earning the Yashin award in a poignant scene in which his father walked on stage to present the award to his son.

'I'm overjoyed to have received this,' he remarked as he accepted the medal.

'This moment in my career would not have been achieved without my teammates at Aston Villa and on the Argentina national team.'

It's not the first time Martinez has been nominated for an award; he was previously nominated in 2021, when Gianluigi Donnarumma was chosen the winner.

And he won the accolade over a star-studded field that included Ederson, Aaron Ramsdale, Andre Onana, Thibaut Courtois, and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

Martinez was a standout for Aston Villa last season, with 13 clean sheets in 37 league matches and assisting the team in qualifying for the Europa Conference League.

Elsewhere in the night, Lionel Messi won his seventh Ballon d'Or, beating out Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.

Before joining Inter Miami in the summer, the 36-year-old oversaw Argentina's success in Qatar, scoring twice in the final and also reaching the back of the goal during a penalty shoot-out to help the side overcome 2018 champions France.

He also scored 32 goals in 55 appearances for PSG in all competitions, helping the club win the Ligue 1 title.

Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham presented him with the prized medal at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, to a standing ovation from the audience.