Argentina’s Olympic football journey began with a heated atmosphere on Wednesday afternoon.

The team faced Morocco in their opening match, but it wasn’t just the game that was under the spotlight.

Before the match kicked off, the Argentine national anthem was met with a chorus of boos from the crowd at Saint Etienne.

This reaction came in the wake of a recent controversy involving one of Argentina’s star players, Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez.

The booing was a direct response to a video that surfaced just over a week ago.

The footage showed Fernandez and his teammates singing a chant that was widely condemned as racist.

The chant targeted French players, including Kylian Mbappe, and was seen as a provocative and offensive gesture following Argentina’s Copa America victory.

The French Football Federation quickly condemned the chant, filing a complaint with FIFA.

Fernandez’s Chelsea teammates, including Wesley Fofana, Malo Gusto, and Axel Disasi, distanced themselves from him, with Fofana labeling the chant as ‘uninhibited racism.’

Chelsea itself condemned discriminatory behavior and is conducting an internal investigation.

The tension was palpable as Argentina’s rugby sevens team also faced boos before their game against Kenya.

The crowd’s reaction highlighted that the resentment over Fernandez’s actions was still very much alive.

France’s former captain Hugo Lloris criticized the chant, calling it an ‘attack on French people’ and urging that it should be a lesson in responsibility.

Lloris emphasized that winning doesn’t excuse such behavior and hoped the incident would lead to personal growth for those involved.

The tensions between Argentina and France were already simmering after their dramatic 2022 World Cup final, which Argentina won on penalties.

The aftermath saw Mbappe being mocked by Argentine players, further straining relations.

Despite his involvement in Argentina’s World Cup and Copa America successes, Fernandez is not playing in the Olympics and is currently on a break from football.

Over the weekend, he was honored by his former club, River Plate, where the crowd again sang the controversial chant.

Chelsea’s Stance

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, currently in the US for pre-season, has stated that the club is prepared to reintegrate Fernandez after his apology.

Maresca emphasized that the player’s actions were not indicative of his character and believed the issue was clear and resolved.

The Match Outcome

On the field, Argentina’s Olympic campaign didn’t get off to the best start.

They fell behind 1-0 to Morocco just before halftime, as Bilal El Khannouss completed a well-executed team move.

The controversy surrounding Fernandez has certainly cast a shadow over Argentina’s Olympic efforts, but the team will hope to focus on their performance as the tournament progresses.

TDPel Media

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn