French Football Federation Files Complaint Against Argentina Over Racist Chant Video After Copa America Victory.
The French Football Federation (FFF) has filed a legal complaint following a video posted by Enzo Fernandez that captured the Argentine national team singing a discriminatory chant after their victory in the Copa America.
The controversy erupted after Argentina’s 1-0 win over Colombia in the Copa America final. In a video shot by Enzo Fernandez, he and his teammates can be seen chanting offensive lyrics about the French national team. The song included derogatory remarks about the heritage of French players, suggesting they were not truly French despite holding French passports. The lyrics read: “They play for the French team, but their parents are from Angola. Their mothers are from Cameroon, while their fathers are from Nigeria. But their passports say French.”
The video quickly went viral on social media, amassing over a million views. However, the Argentine Football Association has yet to issue an official response to the incident.
In a strong condemnation, the FFF described the chants as “unacceptable, racist, and discriminatory.” Philippe Diallo, President of the FFF, has taken a firm stance by challenging his Argentine counterpart and FIFA directly, filing a legal complaint against the offensive and discriminatory remarks.
This incident is not isolated. During the 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France, La Albiceleste fans were reported to have sung racist and transphobic songs targeting the French national team and Kylian Mbappe. One such song insinuated that French players “all come from Angola” and made inappropriate references to Mbappe’s relationship with transgender model Ines Rau.
The fallout from the video has extended to the club level, with several of Enzo Fernandez’s French teammates at Chelsea expressing their outrage. Some have even unfollowed him on Instagram in response to the racist lyrics sung by his teammates, highlighting the broader impact of the incident on professional relationships and team dynamics.
As the FFF pursues legal action, the incident has sparked a broader conversation about racism and discrimination in football. The international football community awaits further developments and responses from the Argentine Football Association and FIFA, hoping for a resolution that upholds the values of respect and equality in the sport.
