FFF to file complaint over ‘unacceptable racist’ chants by Argentina players

The French Football Federation (FFF) says it will file a legal complaint over an “unacceptable, racist and discriminatory” chant made by Argentina players following their Copa America success on Sunday night.

The FFF added that its president, Philippe Diallo, has challenged his FIFA and Argentinian Football Association counterparts — Gianni Infantino and Claudio Fabian Tapia respectively — to respond to the “shocking remarks, contrary to the values ​​of sport and human rights”.

Argentina successfully defended their Copa America title by defeating Colombia 1-0 in Sunday’s final, courtesy of a Lautaro Martinez goal in extra time. Footage posted by Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez on his Instagram account in the aftermath of the final showed him and his team-mates chanting about the France international team.

Argentina defeated France in a penalty shootout in the 2022 World Cup final, with some fans of the South American nation at that tournament singing a chant ahead of that match referencing how many France players were of African heritage and were first or second-generation immigrants in the nation.

The words to the chant were: “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.”

On Tuesday evening, a post on the Instagram account of Fernandez, who plays his club football for Premier League team Chelsea, included a statement saying: “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.”

Earlier on Tuesday the French Football Federation said in a statement: “The president of the French Football Federation, Philippe Diallo, condemns in the strongest terms the unacceptable racist and discriminatory remarks which were made against the players of the French team in the context of a song sung by players and supporters of the Argentina team after its victory in the Copa America and broadcast in a video on social media.

“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.”

FIFA, the AFA and CONMEBOL — the South American Football Federation which organises Copa America — did not respond when approached for comment by The Athletic.

Fernandez, the 23-year-old Chelsea player, was sharing a live video on Instagram in which he and several of his team-mates, who could not be identified by the footage, began the chant before the live video was abruptly ended. Chelsea say they are looking into the matter.

France defender Wesley Fofana, a teammate of Fernandez at Chelsea, posted a video of the incident on X accompanied with the caption: “Football in 2024: uninhibited racism”. Fofana’s message was met with racist replies from other users on X and Instagram.

After the chants were heard at the 2022 World Cup, anti-racism association SOS Racisme described the sentiment that some France national team players would not be considered French as an “expression of a far-right ideology”, and asked FIFA to take action against Argentina fans who were singing the chant.

Additional reporting: Melanie Anzidei

(Top photo: Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)