Argentina's Copa America triumph overshadowed by racist chants: What all has happened so far

Before the Copa America final, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said, “When you win, everything is magnified.” As Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 in a final marred by chaos at the Hard Rock Stadium , the discussion has not been about Albiceleste's third consecutive trophy at a major international tournament, joining Spain in the process. Instead, the focus has been on the celebrations and a 48-second video clip.

What happened?

During the celebrations on the team bus, midfielder Enzo Fernandez live streamed himself and some of his teammates singing an offensive chant about the French national team — with derogatory references to French players of African descent.

The controversy goes back to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Before France and Argentina met in the final, few Argentina fans were recorded chanting about how certain French players had African ancestry or were immigrants.

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The main words of the song are: “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.” Another part of the chant contains transphobia.

Enzo, who plays for English Premier League club Chelsea, have initiated disciplinary proceedings against the player. Several of Fernandez’s club teammates have condemned the incident and unfollowed him on social media.

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana, who has family ties to Ivory Coast, described the video as “uninhibited racism.” Fernandez has issued an apology on social media, expressing regret for his actions.

“The song included highly offensive language, and there is absolutely no excuse for these words,” Fernandez wrote. “I got caught up in the euphoria of our celebrations.”

Chelsea’s statement said: “Chelsea Football Club finds all forms of discriminatory behaviour completely unacceptable. We are proud to be a diverse, inclusive club where people from all cultures, communities, and identities feel welcome.”

How have FIFA, French football federation reacted?

FIFA, the global body, has opened an investigation into the chants. FIFA responded after the French Football Federation (FFF) raised concerns about the video.

“FIFA is aware of a video circulating on social media and the incident is being looked into,” a FIFA spokesperson said. “FIFA strongly condemns any form of discrimination by anyone, including players, fans, and officials.”

“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 French soccer federation had said.

“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 FFF added.

What has Argentinian officials said?

Neither French or Argentina captains Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi have publicly made a statement on the issue. Messi has faced calls to apologise on behalf of the team.

Argentina’s sports sub-secretary, Julio Garro, said Messi and Claudio Tapia, president of the country’s football federation, should apologise.

“The national team captain must also come out to apologise for this case. The same AFA (Argentina Football Association) president," Garro said in radio statements. “I think it is appropriate. It leaves us as a country in a bad position, with so much glory.”

La Oficina del Presidente informa que ningún gobierno puede decirle qué comentar, qué pensar o qué hacer a la Selección Argentina Campeona del Mundo y Bicampeona de América, ni a ningún otro ciudadano. Por esta razón, Julio Garro deja de ser Subsecretario de Deportes de la… pic.twitter.com/o4JRC7gGB1

— Oficina del Presidente (@OPRArgentina) July 17, 2024

Instead, Javier Milei, president of Argentina, removed Garro from his position . “No government can tell the world champion and two-time South American champion, Argentina national team or any citizen, what to say,” the presidential office wrote on X. “For this reason, Julio Garro is no longer the undersecretary of sport.”

Argentina’s vice president, Victoria Villarruel, defended Enzo and the team , saying she would not tolerate the actions of a “colonialist” country.

“No colonialist country is going to intimidate us for a song on the pitch or for telling the truths they don’t want to admit,” Villarruel posted.

“Argentina is a sovereign and free country. We never had colonies or second-class citizens. We have never imposed our way of life on anyone.

“But neither will we tolerate that they do it to us… Enzo I support you, Lionel Messi, thanks for everything! Argentinians always hold your head up high.”

Enzo’s teammate and Atletico Madrid player Rodrigo De Paul defended him. “If any of Enzo’s teammates feel offended, the way is to call him, not post on social media. Unfollowing him seems pointless. You can call him and say: ‘This isn’t okay, why don’t you post a message?’,” said De Paul.

“Enzo has already apologised, and he explained what happened,” Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister told Argentine radio station Urbana Play.

“There’s nothing more to add. We know Enzo, we know he would never do it with bad intentions. It’s more of a chant that stuck and it’s more in a mocking tone than anything else. The most important thing is that Enzo apologised and we have to give value to that,” he added.

Enzo’s father also defended his son and tried to remind previous cases of racism aimed at Argentinian players.

“I know who my son is,” said Raul to Argentine outlet Ole. “He is not like that. He’s not racist, never. It’s hard for a European to understand our football culture like chants and celebrations. He recorded that live video at an inopportune moment. It was bad, he didn’t even realise what he was singing.

“In 2014, when Germany beat us, they imitated how gauchos walk and called us ignorant. In 2018, France mocked Messi for his height. We never came out to say we were being discriminated against.

“Enzo feels bad, he didn’t mean it, he already apologised on social media and to his Chelsea teammates.

“But his teammate at Chelsea didn’t even ask him to apologise or anything, he could have contacted him and asked for it, but no, he straight went to social media in a minute.”

AS Roma’s Leandro Paredes also spoke out. “This scandal came out of nowhere,” he said at an event. “We have a different way of living football, without any intention of disrespecting anyone. As Enzo said on his Instagram, he apologised and it has to end there.”

What has been said on the French front?

Pathétique.

Comportements d’autant plus inacceptables qu’ils se répètent. @FIFAcom : une réaction ?@FFF @equipedefrance @Sports_gouv https://t.co/bJenGAQG9g

— Amélie Oudéa-Castéra (@AOC1978) July 16, 2024

France’s sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera branded the chanting “pathetic”. Posting on X, formerly Twitter, she wrote: “Behaviour that is all the more unacceptable if it is repeated.” Then she tagged FIFA’s account, asking world football’s governing body for a “reaction”.

France’s former goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who captained his country at the past two World Cups, said the players should have shown “more responsibility”.

“They (Argentina) deserve a lot of credit for what they have done on the field for the last four or five years,” Lloris said. “But when you win, you are an example for others, especially kids. It was a proper attack about the French people, especially for the French people who have African origin and family.”