Lionel Messi delivered a nine-word message to his Argentina teammates on the back of winning the 2024 Copa America.
On Sunday night, Argentina clinched Copa America glory again after they beat Colombia in the final held at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
After the match ended 0-0 in normal time, Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez’s goal in the 112th minute was enough to seal a 1-0 win for Lionel Scaloni’s men.
Speaking recently to OLGA, Argentina midfielder Rodrigo De Paul revealed the message Messi told the players moments after winning the match.
He said: “When the final ended, Messi came and the first thing he said was, ‘nobody taunts anyone, let’s celebrate and enjoy our victory’.
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“They always find something against the winner. Whether it’s that we got help, or that we taunt others, or that it’s not such a good team, or that South America is less developed than Europe, we didn’t see any fuss about that when they say those things about us. All these things are said to discredit what we’ve achieved.”
However, controversy swiftly followed after Chelsea star Enzo Fernandez posted a video of him and his teammates celebrating on the team bus.
In the footage, the Argentine players were heard singing an allegedly racist chant directed at French players.
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The chant was translated to: “They play for France, but their parents are from Angola. Their mother is from Cameroon, while their father is from Nigeria. But their passport says, French.”
The chant has since been condemned by Chelsea and it was later reported that FIFA have also started an investigation into the matter.
Posting on social media, Fernandez wrote: “I want to apologise sincerely for a video posted on my Instagram channel during the national team celebrations.
“The song includes highly offensive language and there is absolutely no excuse for these words. I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa America celebrations. That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my beliefs or my character. I am truly sorry.”
Topics: Lionel Messi, Argentina, Copa America, Football
Marcus Chan