Fernandez appearance sees anti-French song chanted by crowd at River Plate

Enzo Fernandez’s re-emergence into the spotlight ended in more controversy on Sunday as the song that has caused a war of words between France and Argentine received another airing.

Fernandez was presented to the fans of River Plate – his boyhood club – ahead of the game with Lanus and soon the song that questions the heritage of France’s black and mixed-race players could be heard cascading around El Monumental.

O meia Enzo Fernández, do Chelsea, foi homenageado pela diretoria do River Plate no intervalo do jogo contra o Lanús.

No momento da homenagem, a torcida do River entoou no Estádio Monumental de Núñez, a música racista e transfóbica contra os jogadores franceses.

“Escutem,… pic.twitter.com/GTYIxxCMg4

— LIBERTA DEPRE (@liberta___depre) July 21, 2024

The song was originally sung by Argentina’s fans at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar where Lionel Scaloni’s side beat France in the final on penalties.

And it made an unwelcome return when Chelsea midfielder Fernandez posted the Argentina squad singing it in a video on social media shortly after they beat Colombia in the final of the Copa America on July 14.

Fernandez apologised although there are likely to be several repercussions with both Chelsea and FIFA launching investigations, the latter on the back of a complaint from the French Football Federation.

The 23-year-old will have some bridges to rebuild in the Stamford Bridge dressing room as well with his Chelsea team-mate Wesley Fofana describing the video as “uninhibited racism”, while it has also been reported the club’s other French players are equally unhappy.

Support from Argentina

Fernandez has received plenty of support from Argentina, however.

Former national team stalwart Javier Mascherano described him as a “great guy” while his fellow Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul accused Fofana of “malice” by criticising his team-mate publicly.

De Paul said: “I think there’s a place. And if any of Enzo’s team-mates feels offended the way is to call him, not put it on social networks.

“There is a bit of malice there, or wanting to put Enzo in a place that has nothing to do with him.”

He added: “It’s like making firewood from a fallen tree.

“You call him and ask ‘what happened?’. These are people you see in the locker room all the time.

“You call him and say “look, we feel offended. Why don’t you put a message out apologising?’ And the subject is cut off there. I don’t understand why there is so much show.”

There has been political fall-out too with the country’s sports minister Julio Garro sacked by president Javier Millei for suggesting Lionel Messi should apologise for the squad’s actions.

Messi, who is undergoing treatment for an ankle injury sustained against Colombia, has yet to comment.