New Delhi: Argentina footballer Rodrigo de Paul has come out in support for youngster Enzo Fernandez following the widespread outrage received on his controversial video during the team’s Copa America celebrations in Buenos Aires.
Argentina’s back-to-back Copa America title celebrations was marred by the racism chants against French international footballers. In a live-streaming video posted by Enzo from the team bus, some players were heard singing:
“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.”
The video has been the talk of the town, overshadowing Argentina’s 1-0 win against Columbia in the Copa America 2024 final. Although Enzo apologised to his Chelsea teammates in a private message, the London-based football club said that they have instigated an internal disciplinary procedure. According to The Guardian report, the 23-year-old Argentine mid-fielder is expected to be fined and will be send to racism education course by Chelsea.
French international Wesley Fofana, who plays for Chelsea as a centre-back, called out Enzo’s video as uninhibited racism apart from unfollowing him on Instagram. Rodrigo de Paul, who was part of Argentina’s Copa America title triumph in the United States, asked the offended players to personally reach out to Enzo rather than lampooning his actions on social media.
“I understand that people who have suffered from racism might not like it. But I think if any of Enzo’s teammates feel offended, the way is to call him, not post it on social media. I think there’s malice in this; they’re trying to make it something it’s not. It’s very strange, like kicking someone when they’re down,” de Paul told OLGA.
‘Messi asked us not to taunt’: Rodrigo de Paul reveals Argentina skipper’s message after Copa America win
There were demands from Argentina government for football team captain Lionel Messi and association president Claudio Fabian Tapia should make a public apology over the racism chants. Undersecretary for Sports Julio Garro, in a radio statement, asked Messi to make an apology, but he was later fired from his post from president Javier Milei’s office.
Rodrigo revealed that Messi had already alerted his teammates to avoid using any taunts for opponent players after the final whistle against Colombia on Sunday night.
“When the final ended, Messi came and the first thing he said was, ‘nobody taunts anyone, let’s celebrate and enjoy our victory’,” the Argentine mid-fielder revealed.
“They always find something against the winner. Whether it’s that we got help, or that we taunt others, or that it’s not such a good team, or that South America is less developed than Europe, we didn’t see any fuss about that when they say those things about us. All these things are said to discredit what we’ve achieved,” he added.
With the addition of the Copa America 2024, Argentina became the second team after Spain to win three major international titles after their 2021 Copa America win in Brazil and 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Argentina footballer Rodrigo de Paul has come out in support for youngster Enzo Fernandez following the widespread outrage received on his controversial video during the team’s Copa America celebrations in Buenos Aires. Sports Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
