Argentina's 1-0 victory over Colombia in the Copa America final Sunday has been overshadowed by a postgame Instagram Live video that has France fuming—and intending to take legal action against the Argentinian federation.
On the team bus in Florida, Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández appeared to film himself and his teammates signing a racist song about the immigrant-heavy French national team.
"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," the song's lyrics said, per Richard Mills and Matt O'Connor Simpson of Goal.
The song was met with immediate pushback from across the soccer world. France defender Wesley Fofana—a Chelsea teammate of Fernández's and the son of an Ivorian national—called the chant "unabashed racism" in French on his Instagram story.
In a statement, the French soccer federation announced president Philippe Diallo "has decided to take his Argentine counterpart and FIFA directly to court and to file a complaint for racially offensive and discriminatory remarks."
Per Kieran Gill of The Daily Mail, Chelsea is looking into the video as well.
Told Chelsea are investigating the Enzo Fernandez video clip, treating it seriously and will handle accordingly. #CFC have a large number of French players, including Wesley Fofana, who's described the Argentinian chant as "uninhibited racism". Story on @MailSport
— Kieran Gill (@kierangill_DM) July 16, 2024
This article was originally published on www.si.com as France Lodges FIFA Complaint Against Argentina After Instagram Live Video Controversy.
