Enzo Fernandez and several Argentina players faced backlash for singing a racist and transphobic chant about the French national team during celebrations after winning the 2024 Copa América final. See more of him here.
The chant, which originated from the 2022 World Cup, makes offensive references to French players being from Angola, sleeping with transgender people, and having Nigerian or Cameroonian parents despite having French nationality.
Fernandez, who plays for Chelsea, posted an Instagram live video of the team bus singing the first lines of the chant before someone told him to cut the recording. His Chelsea teammate Wesley Fofana, who is French, condemned the video, reposting it with the caption “Football in 2024: uninhibited racism”.
The French Football Federation (FFF) strongly condemned the remarks, calling them “unacceptable racist and discriminatory” in a statement. FFF President Philippe Diallo said he would file a legal complaint with FIFA and the Argentine FA over the “shocking” and “insulting” lyrics. Anti-racism group SOS Racisme also condemned the chant, saying “Racism has absolutely no place in sport, or in any other sphere of society.”
Fernandez later apologized on Instagram, saying “The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words. I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologize for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations. That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. I am truly sorry.” However, some felt his apology fell flat.
Chelsea are investigating the incident involving their star midfielder. FIFA and the Argentine FA have not yet commented, but are expected to face pressure to take action against the racist chant.
Conclusion:
Enzo Fernandez and several Argentina players faced severe backlash for singing a racist and transphobic chant about the French national team during celebrations after winning the 2024 Copa América. The French Football Federation strongly condemned the remarks and filed a legal complaint with FIFA, demanding action against the Argentine players and federation. The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with calls for accountability and consequences from football governing bodies. While Fernandez apologized, his teammates’ reactions and the broader implications of this controversy threaten to overshadow Argentina’s on-field success.