Lionel Messi: What Argentina Captain Said Before Enzo Fernandez and Co. Sang Racist Chants

 

Enzo Fernandez and Lionel Messi

Enzo Fernandez's ill-advised decision to film himself after Argentina's Copa America triumph has backfired spectacularly. The midfielder has been the centre of attention all week due to a controversial video that has been deemed racist and discriminatory. Lionel Messi cautioned Enzo Fernandez and his Argentine teammates against using derogatory remarks during their team celebrations.  According to Goal, Fernandez has since issued a heartfelt apology after the footage gained traction and sparked widespread condemnation. However, his apology has done little to water down the fallout.Many of his Chelsea teammates have publicly distanced themselves from him. Defender Wesley Fofana criticised Enzo's actions on X (formerly Twitter), and several other colleagues unfollowed him on Instagram. In the interim, Chelsea has launched an internal disciplinary investigation, and the French Football Federation has filed a legal complaint. Despite widespread condemnation, the 23-year-old has received support from some compatriots, with Argentina's vice president Victoria Villarruel defending him and the team. What did Lionel Messi say before Enzo Fernandez's racist chant? Rodrigo de Paul, Fernandez's Argentina teammate, revealed what Lionel Messi told the squad before the incident. According to the Atletico Madrid midfielder, Messi, who was not on the team bus during the filming, had cautioned his teammates against taunting any opponent. "When the [Copa America] final ended, Messi came, and the first thing he said was, 'Nobody taunts anyone. Let's celebrate and enjoy our victory,'" de Paul told Clarin, as quoted by Tribuna.  In hindsight, had the rest of the La Albiceleste squad heeded the advice of the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, they, especially Fernandez, might have avoided making headlines for the wrong reasons. 

by  Viginia Akinyi