Former France captain Hugo Lloris has condemned the controversial song sung by certain Argentina players as an “assault on French people,” expressing hope that those involved will recognize their mistake and learn from it.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez faces potential penalties from his Premier League club for posting a video on social media that the French Football Federation claims contained “racist and discriminatory language.”
FIFA has initiated an investigation into the video, which depicts several members of the Argentina squad singing a song originally sung by Argentina fans that questions the ancestry of France’s black and mixed-race players in celebration of their Copa America final victory over Colombia.
Lloris, France’s most capped player and captain during their 2018 World Cup triumph, expressed his shock at the incident.
“It doesn’t matter if you are in a moment of euphoria because you have won an important trophy,” he said. “It demands even more responsibility when you are a winner.
“You don’t want to hear or see this kind of thing in football. We all stand against discrimination and racism.
“I just think and hope it is a mistake. We all make mistakes sometimes and hopefully they will learn from it.”
Hugo Lloris, the former captain of Tottenham Hotspur at 37, joined Major League Soccer team Los Angeles FC in December. He was in the United States when Argentina won the Copa America in Miami.
Lloris was also on the losing side in the 2022 World Cup final as France suffered defeat to Argentina in a penalty shootout.
“They [Argentina] are the face of football right now, in South America, in the world. They deserve a lot of credit for what they have done on the field for the last four or five years,” Lloris said.
“But when you win, you are an example for others, especially kids.
“It was a proper attack about the French people, especially for the French people who have some African origin and family.”