Enzo Fernandez issues apology after racist chant
July 17, 2024
Enzo Fernandez has apologized after recording himself allegedly uttering a racist and transphobic chant after Argentina defeated Colombia 1-0 in the Copa America final.
“I want to apologise sincerely for a video posted on my Instagram channel during the national team celebrations. The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words.
“I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologize 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 Chelsea star tweeted on social media on Tuesday. There is no justification for the extremely unpleasant language used in the song.
Following Argentina’s exciting victory over Colombia on Sunday, Fernandez and his countrymen sang a song critical of the French players. In a video that was shared on social media, Fernandez’s teammates can be heard singing the first two lines of the chant until someone in the background tells him to “cut the video.”
The song in question came out around the time of the 2022 World Cup final between France and Argentina:- “Listen, spread the word, they play in France, but they are all from Angola, they are going to run well, they like to sleep with trans people, their mum is Nigerian, their dad is Cameroonian, but on the passport it says: French.”
Enzo Fernandez’s brief video clip drew immediate criticism from both supporters and players. Wesley Fofana, the midfielder’s Chelsea colleague, posted a screen shot of the footage to X and Instagram with the following caption: ” Football in 2024: uninhibited racism.”
Axel Diasi of the Blues and Malo Gusto appear to have unfollowed Fernandez on Instagram as a result of his abusive post.