Argentina captain Lionel Messi© AFP
Buenos Aires apologized to France after Argentina’s vp referred to as the European nation “colonialist” and its folks “hypocrites” in an argument over alleged racist chants by Argentine footballers. President Javier Milei’s workplace mentioned Friday it had despatched a senior official to the French embassy to clarify that Victoria Villarruel’s offended assertion on social media was made in her private capability. FIFA has introduced an investigation into the chants sung by Argentina gamers, together with Chelsea and Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, 23, after they gained the Copa America.
The chants have been heard on a dwell video posted on social media by Fernandez from the workforce bus within the wake of the Copa victory over Colombia in Miami on Sunday.
The track targets France’s star striker Kylian Mbappe amongst others and contains racist and homophobic insults.
Fernandez has apologized, however Chelsea have launched an inside disciplinary process in opposition to him. The French Football Federation (FFF) has complained to FIFA.
On Wednesday, Villarruel expressed help for Fernandez on X, saying: “No colonialist nation goes to intimidate us due to a stadium chant nor for talking truths that they don’t need to admit. Enough with feigned outrage, hypocrites.”
The diplomatic incident got here simply days earlier than Milei is because of journey to Paris to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.
“Diplomatic relations with France are intact,” presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni mentioned Friday.
Argentina’s beneath secretary for sports activities, Julio Garro, was dismissed from his submit this week after saying captain Lionel Messi and the Argentine Football Association ought to apologize for the chants.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
