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4 months ago
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Chelsea are investigating the controversial video filmed by their midfielder Enzo Fernandez which appeared to show the Argentinian national team celebrating their Copa America triumph by singing a 'racist and discriminatory' chant about their French counterparts.
That is how the French Football Federation (FFF) have described the footage via their president Philippe Diallo while promising to file a legal complaint to FIFA.
Fernandez's Chelsea team-mate Wesley Fofana, who is French and the son of an Ivorian father, took to X (formerly Twitter) to declare the video 'uninhibited racism'.
It followed Argentina successfully defending their Copa America title by defeating Colombia 1-0 in Sunday's final.
Chelsea are now conducting their own probe after their player found himself at the centre of this storm, with sources saying they are treating the matter seriously and will handle it accordingly.
Enzo Fernandez filmed a video of the Argentina team singing a racist chant about France
The video has been widely condemned, including by the French Football Federation
The video was shot after Argentina beat Colombia on Sunday to win the Copa America
Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana, who also plays for France, has vented his disgust at the video
Fofana reposted the video via X alongside the words: 'Football in 2024: uninhibited racism'
The Premier League club have a large number of French players who are black or mixed race, including Malo Gusto, Lesley Ugochukwu, Christopher Nkunku, Fofana, Axel Disasi and Benoit Badiashile.
Fofana shared footage of the video originally shot by Fernandez alongside the caption, written in French: 'Football in 2024: uninhibited racism,' followed by three facepalm emojis.
The song dates back to the 2022 World Cup final in which Argentina beat France, with lyrics describing how French players are 'from Angola' or have a 'Nigerian' mother and a 'Cameroonian' father.
The FFF have condemned the chant and added: 'Faced with the seriousness of these shocking remarks, contrary to the values of sport and human rights, the president of the FFF decided to directly challenge his Argentine counterpart and FIFA and to file a legal complaint for insulting remarks of a racial and discriminatory nature.'
The chant in full
'Listen, spread the word;
They play in France, but they are all from Angola;
How nice it is! They are going to run;
They are 'cometravas'* like f***ing Mbappé;
Their mom is Nigerian;
Their dad, Cameroonian.
But in the document ...Nationality: French.'
*'Cometravas' is a slang term that loosely translates to somebody who has sex with transgender people.
The song originated in public when Argentina fans chanted it on TV at the 2022 World Cup
It claims the French squad 'are all from Angola' and that they 'f*** transgender people like f***ing Mbappe'
Fernandez was grinning but quickly stopped the Instagram livestream when the song began
Eduardo Camavinga was the only French player at the 2022 World Cup who was born in Angola
English (US)