Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez and his Argentine teammates are facing criticism for their racist chants during their Copa America trophy celebration.
The chant, which targeted French players for having Nigerian mothers and not being originally from France, has sparked outrage on social media.
Argentina’s national team, under Lionel Scaloni, recently celebrated a successful period, having won the FIFA World Cup in Qatar and now the Copa America. The 2024 Copa America victory was secured by Lautaro Martinez’s goal in the 112th minute against Colombia.
During the team’s bus celebrations, Enzo Fernandez shared moments live on Instagram, but the situation deteriorated when he and some teammates began singing racist songs targeting French players.
This was reminiscent of the racist comments made by Argentine fans towards Kylian Mbappe and other French players after Argentina’s World Cup win.
The chant, translated from Spanish, included offensive remarks about the French players’ heritage and their personal lives.
This incident has drawn condemnation, particularly as Fernandez plays alongside several French and African descent players at Chelsea, such as Benoit Badiashile, Axel Disasi, Malo Gusto, Christopher Nkunku, Lesley Ugochukwu, Noni Madueke, and Carney Chukwuemeka.
France and Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana condemned the chants, reposting the video with the caption, “Football in 2024: uninhibited racism,” as reported by Sky Sports.
Chelsea has launched an investigation into the video, while the French Football Federation plans to file a legal complaint regarding the racist remarks. The Argentine Football Federation has yet to respond to the incident.
Meanwhile, Enzo Fernandez has since shared apology, stating the chants were unfortunate and not a true representation of his character.
