The French Football Federation (FFF) announced on Tuesday it will file a legal complaint before the global FIFA soccer authority over “racist and discriminatory” chants by Argentina’s national soccer team that went viral on social media.
On Sunday, Argentine soccer team player Enzo Fernández hosted a live stream on his Instagram account in the aftermath of Argentina’s victory against Colombia in the final match of the Copa América, the world’s oldest soccer tournament. The quadrennial tournament’s latest edition was hosted in the United States and features players from North and South America – notably omitting France, which played in the complimentary Euro Cup. The final Copa América match took place in the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, ending with a 1-0 score in favor of Argentina.
On the livestream, members of Argentina’s soccer team appeared inside a bus, chanting slogans and singing celebratory songs. In one section of the stream, which immediately went viral on Monday, Fernández and other members of the team are heard shouting a chant that featured derisive lyrics in reference to the African origin of some of the members of France’s team. The lyrics also target French team captain Kylian Mbappé’s origins and reference Mbappé having reportedly dated transgender model Ines Rau in the past.
“Cut the live, idiot!” a voice is heard saying to Fernández stream while the team is chanting.
Warning – Racist and Transphobic Language:
The chant is a modified version of one fans introduced to the game in December 2022 during the FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar, where France played Argentina.
The fans sang the chant while they were being interviewed by TyC Sports, which cut the feed.
Warning – Racist and Transphobic Language:
“Listen, spread the word, they play in France but they are all from Angola,” the chant declared. “How cute, they are going to run, they are tr***y f****rs like that fa**ot Mbappé. His mother is Nigerian, his old man Cameroonian, but on the document [passport], French nationality.”
Argentina defeated France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final in an intense match that concluded with both teams scoring three goals at the end of two extra times, leading to a penalty shootout that Argentina won with a 4-2 score.
The FFF issued a statement on Tuesday expressing its intention to file a legal complaint with FIFA over the chant featured in the viral stream hosted by Fernández. As the teams are on different continents, FIFA, as the global soccer association, would have ultimate authority over the incident.
“Given the seriousness of these shocking remarks, which are contrary to the values of sport and human rights, the FFF president has decided to contact its Argentinian counterpart and Fifa directly to file a legal complaint for racist and discriminatory remarks,” the statement read.
“The president of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo, condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable racist and discriminatory remarks made against the players of the France team as part of a song sung by players and supporters of the Argentina team,” the statement continued.
French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra described the incident as “pathetic” and demanded FIFA issue a reaction.
Pathétique.
— Amélie Oudéa-Castéra (@AOC1978) July 16, 2024
Comportements d’autant plus inacceptables qu’ils se répètent. @FIFAcom : une réaction ?@FFF @equipedefrance @Sports_gouv https://t.co/bJenGAQG9g
FIFA announced on Wednesday that it is “aware” of the viral video circulating on social media and has launched an investigation into the incident.
Fernández issued a public apology on his social media accounts on Tuesday evening, stating that “there is no absolutely no excuse for these words” and claiming that he stands “against discrimination in all forms.”
“That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. I am truly sorry,” Fernández’s statement read.
— Enzo Fernández (@IEnzofernandez8) July 16, 2024
England’s Chelsea soccer team, which Fernández plays for, released a statement on Wednesday in which it acknowledged Fernández’s apology and announcing an internal disciplinary review against the player.
“Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable,” the statement read. “We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities and identities feel welcome.”
“We acknowledge and appreciate our player’s public apology and will use this as an opportunity to educate. The Club has instigated an internal disciplinary procedure,” the statement concluded.
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has not publicly commented on the matter at press time.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
