Featured Image Credit: Getty Images - Instagram/Enzo Fernandez
Topics: Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea, Argentina, Copa America
Jack Kenmare
Topics: Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea, Argentina, Copa America
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez has released a statement after he filmed himself and his Argentina teammates singing an alleged 'racist' song directed at members of the France national team.
In the aftermath of Argentina's 1-0 win over Colombia in the Copa America final, a video posted on Enzo Fernandez's Instagram showed him and his teammates celebrating on the team bus.
Here, they were heard chanted a song that singles out French players with family connections across a number of African nations, and who hold a French passport.
The lyrics to the chant were: “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.”
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It is believed that Chelsea are investigating the video involving Fernandez, whilst teammate Wesley Fofana condemned the clip, saying: "Le football en 2024: racisme decomplexe," which translates to: "Football in 2024: uninhibited racism."
According to talkSPORT, all of Chelsea's French players – Fofana, Axel Disassi, Benoit Badiashille, Malo Gusto, Lesley Ugochukwu, Christopher Nkunku and Malang Sarr – have unfollowed Fernandez on social media.
On Tuesday, a statement from The France Football Federation said that president Philippe Diallo "condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable and discriminatory remarks that were made against the players of the French team".
It added that the FFF would file a complaint to FIFA for the "racially offensive and discriminatory remarks."
At 12:06am on Wednesday morning, Fernandez issued an apology for his role in the incident.
"I want to apologise sincerely for a video posted on my Instagram channel during the national team celebrations," he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
"The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words. I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise 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."
The derogatory chant dates back to the 2022 World Cup, when La Albiceleste fans were heard singing it ahead of the final between Argentina and France in Qatar.