David Fofana latest Chelsea star to criticize Enzo Fernandez for racist chant after Argentina win
Chelsea striker David Fofana has become the latest player to criticise Enzo Fernández for his actions while on international duty.
In what is the fallout of a developing matter, the Ivorian footballer’s response arrives on the back of a video of the Argentina men’s national football team that emerged after their Copa América 2024 triumph. In the clip, some players of the team, while celebrating the win, can be heard singing along to a racist chant that targets particular African-origin Frenchmen, with the camera focused particularly on Fernández.
The 21-year-old is not the only Chelsea player to criticise his teammate; several other players have publicly called him out, while many have responded by unfollowing him on social media.
Fernández joined Chelsea from Portuguese side Benfica on the back of a £106.8m move only last year, having impressed for both club and country.
Chelsea have responded to the matter by launching a formal investigation of their own into the matter.
The contents of the video in question presented to us were not subtle in their connotation, nor was this a case of cultural miscommunication. The chanting was a disgusting and out-and-out example of racism that is deeply rooted in society and prevails casually around the world, surfacing ever so frequently as it did here.
Fernández and the ones chanting with him may have only revealed a long-standing truth about institutionalised racism, but they have also brought shame to their country during what was otherwise a joyous occasion.
For his club, however, Fernández brings an issue that is sadly more important than social justice. Chelsea would have a very easy decision to make in another world, one in which Fernández wasn’t one of the most expensive players in the history of the sport, whom they could sack at a moment’s notice in the name of bringing the club into disrepute. Alas, that is not as simple here.
Their “investigation” will sadly bring us back to the truth we all understand: that business will take precedence over everything else, and if Fernández is deemed important for the team, he will stay, or he will be moved on to the ones willing to pay for him.
Because at the end of the day, it’s the money that matters.
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