French Football Federation to File Complaint Over Alleged Racist Chants by Argentina Team
The French Football Federation (FFF) is set to lodge a complaint with FIFA regarding alleged racist chants by members of Argentina's Copa America winning team. The incident reportedly occurred during a live video posted on social media by Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez from the team bus after their Copa victory over Colombia in Miami on Sunday.
The controversial chants, which allegedly include homophobic insults, reference a song dating back to the 2022 World Cup final where Argentina triumphed over France. The song targets France's star striker Kylian Mbappe.
A source close to the FFF informed AFP on Tuesday that the French organization intends to write to the Argentinian football federation and escalate the matter to FIFA. This action follows a precedent set two years ago when the FFF filed a complaint against racist comments on social media.
The account Africa Facts Zone, via X, highlighted the incident, stating that Enzo Fernandez and the Argentine players have been accused of racism for mocking French players of African descent following their Copa America win. The chant reportedly included lyrics such as, “They play for France, but their parents are from Angola. Their mother is from Cameroon, while their father is from Nigeria. But their passport says French.”
Fernandez has faced significant backlash on social media for his involvement. A user, #CFCMod_, condemned Fernandez, stating, “I can never defend Enzo Fernandez again, publicly making racist chants and laughing about it. There’s no apology that can redeem 'racism' and I hope everyone understands this.” Another user, #WelBeast, expressed disappointment, saying, “I just saw a video of Enzo Fernandez cheerleading to a racist song aimed at Kylian Mbappe, and that’s not even the worst part. The worst part is seeing a post from a Chelsea fan asking him to apologize so they can forgive him. I don’t want to speak.”
The FFF's planned complaint underscores the ongoing efforts to address and eliminate racism within the sport.
