The French Football Federation has filed a legal complaint against Argentina after its players were filmed singing a racist and transphobic song.
The Argentina squad was celebrating winning the Copa America final against Colombia when Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez began filming live on Instagram. They could be heard singing the first two lines of the song which begins: "On passport, French nationality, listen, spread the word, they play in France, but they are all…", before someone is heard saying "cut the video".
It is unclear whether the players continued singing the chant, which continues: "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."
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The Copa America win follows on from lifting the 2022 World Cup, where they beat France in the final.
The song appears to be a call-back to that match, which La Albiceleste won on penalties. During that tournament, some Argentine fans began singing the chant, referencing how many France players were of African heritage and were first or second-generation immigrants in the nation.
The footage of the squad now singing it has infuriated the French FA. Its president, Philippe Diallo, has challenged his FIFA and Argentinian Football Association counterparts to respond to the footage.
“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," an FFF statement read.
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“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 and the Argentine FA are yet to respond to the request, with Fernandez's club Chelsea also yet to comment. After the chants were heard at the 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”.
The group have added their own condemnation to the footage of the chanting. They have also demanded that 'strict measures' be taken against the Argentina squad for their behavior.
A statement read: "We condemn these intolerable comments in the strongest possible terms. Racism has absolutely no place in sport, or in any other sphere of society. We demand that strict measures be taken against this deplorable behavior."
Argentina were celebrating a third successive major trophy, having previously won the Copa America in 2021 as well as the aforementioned World Cup. They had to deal with the early substitution of superstar Lionel Messi , who suffered an ankle injury.
Colombia held them to a goalless draw after 90 minutes, with the game heading into extra-time. Three minutes before a penalty shootout, Lautaro Martinez fired in the winner to see his side lift the trophy.
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