Footballer Enzo Fernández apologises for ‘highly offensive’ song footage
Enzo Fernandez celebrates after the Copa America 2024 semifinal match. (Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Argentina footballer Enzo Fernández has apologised for singing a “highly offensive” song about some of France’s players, following his country’s 1-0 win over Colombia in the final of Copa America on Monday (15 July).
Taking to his Instagram story, Chelsea midfielder Fernández apologised for singing the song, which the French Football Federation (FFF) described as “racially offensive and discriminatory”.
According to the Mirror, the song goes: “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.”
Fernández wrote: ”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 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.”
His apology comes after he posted a video on social media showing him and other members of the team singing the song.
Chelsea teammate and French defender Wesley Fofana, who is Black, responded by posting a screen grab of the video with the caption: “Football in 2024: uninhibited racism.”
The French federation said: “Faced with the seriousness of these shocking remarks, which are contrary to the values of sport and human rights, the president of the FFF decided to directly appeal to his Argentinian counterpart and [world governing body] FIFA and to file a legal complaint for racially offensive and discriminatory remarks.”
A number of media outlets have reported that Chelsea have begun disciplinary proceedings against the Argentinian, who joined the club from Portuguese side Benfica last year in a deal said to be worth almost £107 million (close to $140 million).
