Argentina’s national football team is in turmoil after a controversial video was posted online following its Copa America victory, showing player Enzo Fernandez and some of his teammates singing a racist chant targeting the French national team. FIFA is investigating the comments, while Fernandez’s club Chelsea has launched disciplinary proceedings against its player.
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Sunday July 14, Argentina won the 16th Copa America in its history by beating Colombia in the final in Miami (1-0 after extra time). The Albiceleste, world champion in 2022, retained their continental title acquired in 2021. It should be a time of celebration for Argentine football. But the selection is under fire due to an incident that occurred just after this victory.
A racist song from the 2022 World Cup
Since Monday evening, a video has been circulating on social media where some Argentinian players, including Enzo Fernandez, begin to sing a song containing racist lyrics targeting the Blues. In the video broadcast live by the midfielder on Instagram, filmed in the bus of the newly victorious Argentina team, we see the players begin this chant before cutting the video.
These words were chanted by Argentinian supporters against the players of the French team and Kylian Mbappé when World Cup 2022 in Qatar. This song was broadcast live on an Argentine television channel. They play for France but they all come from Angola, it’s good they know how to run, they’re trans like that fucking Mbappé, his mother is Nigerian (editor’s note: Franco-Algerian in reality), his father is Cameroonian, but on the passport: French ” (sic), they sang at the time.
Fernandez’s apologies for ” carried away by the euphoria of the celebrations »
On Tuesday, the French Football Federation announced that it was contacting the International Football Federation (FIFA) and filing a complaint. for racially offensive and discriminatory remarks “For his part, French defender Wesley Fofana, Enzo Fernandez’s teammate at Chelsea, reacted on Monday on X (ex-Twitter): ” Football in 2024: racism without complexes. “Another French defender, Jules Koundé, a player for FC Barcelona, known for his commitments against racism, commented: ” Lamentable… »
Faced with the scale of the reactions, Enzo Fernandez apologized: sincerely » Tuesday on his Instagram account. The song contains very offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words. ” he acknowledged. ” I am against discrimination in all its forms and I apologize for getting carried away by the euphoria of the Copa America celebrations. This video, this moment, these words do not reflect my beliefs or my character. “, he added.
Chelsea launch ‘disciplinary proceedings’
This Wednesday, July 17, the noose tightens around Enzo Fernandez and Argentina. Chelsea, the midfielder’s club, launched ” disciplinary procedure ” against him. ” We acknowledge and appreciate our player’s public apology and will take this opportunity to raise awareness. The club has implemented an internal disciplinary procedure “, the London club explained in a statement.
FIFA, for its part, explained in a press release sent to AFP that it ” strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone, including players, supporters and officials “The body is examining the statements made by Enzo Fernandez and his Argentinian teammates.