Four Argentinian players were released from the squad after the health officials stormed the pitch after 10 minutes to abandon the game their Brazil in São Paulo ©Getty Images

The Argentina Football Association has released Emiliano Martínez, Emiliano Buendía, Cristian Romero and Giovani Lo Celso from the national football team after the quartet lied on COVID-19 quarantine documents.

It means the Premier League foursome will miss the country's game against Bolivia on Friday (September 10).

Romero and Lo Celso can also expect to receive fines from their club, Tottenham Hotspur, having made the trip without the team's permission, it is claimed.

Martínez dismissed any dangers over coronavirus and the group of Argentine's playing because the desire to play for La Albacileste was too strong.

"The four from England decided to go because we love the shirt," he said, Reuters reported.

"No matter how much the Premier League [players] didn’t want to come, we decided we were going anyway.

"Because after the Copa America, everyone wanted to be there.

"It’s something beautiful and we must live with the consequences.

"On a personal level, I needed to play these games."

Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was one of four players to be released by the Argentinian national team after falsifying information on their coronavirus documents ©Getty Images
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was one of four players to be released by the Argentinian national team after falsifying information on their coronavirus documents ©Getty Images

Martínez's brother, Alejandro, has revealed that the players are due to fly from Argentina to Croatia, which is green-listed by Britain, to avoid the 10-day mandatory hotel quarantine on return to the UK from a red-list country.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has labelled the abandonment of the Brazil-Argentina World Cup qualifier at the Corinthians Arena in São Paulo on Sunday (September 5) as "crazy" while the organisation investigate the incident.

Brazil's Federal Police said yesterday they had opened a formal inquiry into the actions of the Argentine players who were deported, it is claimed.

"We can confirm an investigation has begun into the possible crime of supplying false information," a spokesperson said, as reported by Reuters.

"Yesterday, the players were notified they must leave the country, which is the regular procedure, and statements from them were taken."