France legend Hugo Lloris has slammed Enzo Fernandez and his compatriots for a controversial chant during Argentina’s Copa America celebrations. The former goalkeeper claimed the chant was a “proper attack” on French people and urged Argentine players to set a better example.
Enzo Fernandez & Some Argentina Players Involved In Racism Row
Chelsea midfielder Fernandez posted a video on social media in which he and some of his teammates were singing a controversial song during Argentina’s Copa America victory celebrations. According to The Daily Mail, the song claimed French players were from “Angola” or had a ‘Cameroonian” father and a “Nigerian” mother.
Shortly after Fernandez’s social media post went viral, Chelsea teammate Wesley Fofana called the incident “uninhibited racism” and unfollowed him. Fellow Chelsea stars Malo Gusto and Axel Disasi soon followed suit, cutting off ties with Fernandez on social media.
That is not all. The Blues have vowed to open an internal investigation into Fernandez’s incident, while the Premier League is reportedly considering sanctioning him. Lastly, FIFA is also reviewing the video and could dole out severe punishment to offenders if it finds clear evidence of antagonistic intent.
France Legend Lloris Slams Fernandez’s Behavior, Demands More Maturity From World Champions
Lloris, who helped France to the 2018 World Cup and another final in 2022, has condemned Fernandez and Co.’s behavior. He has called it a direct attack on the French people and reminded Argentina of their responsibilities as world champions.
Lloris said (via The Daily Mail):
“They [Argentina] are the face of football right now, in South America, in the world. They deserve a lot of credit for what they have done on the field for the last four or five years.
“But when you win, you are an example for others, especially kids. It was a proper attack on the French people, especially for the French people who have some African origin and family.”
On Tuesday evening (July 16), Fernandez issued a public apology, saying he got carried away during celebrations and did not harbor such beliefs. Lloris, however, did not accept his explanation, saying the act was inexcusable no matter the occasion.
Lloris added:
“It doesn’t matter if you are in a moment of euphoria because you have won an important trophy. t demands even more responsibility when you are a winner.
“You don’t want to hear or see this kind of thing in football. We all stand against discrimination and racism. I just think and hope it is a mistake. We all make mistakes sometimes and hopefully, they will learn from it.”
This situation is far from ideal for the new Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca, who will need to hit the ground running to save himself from a premature dismissal. It will be interesting to see how he handles the tension between his players when Chelsea begin their pre-season.
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