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The fall-out from the Enzo Fernandez racism scandal has apparently affected the Olympic Games as well
France's narrow 1-0 win over Argentina in the men's football quarter-finals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games was overshadowed by a post-match brawl, reigniting tensions between the two nations.
Due to a recent racism row involving senior Argentine and French stars, the match was viewed as a grudge match from the start and escalated dramatically after the final whistle, leaving a stain on what should have been a celebrated victory for the host nation.
France defeat Argentina to reach Olympics semi-final
The build-up to this match was charged with tension following a racism row that erupted after Argentina's recent Copa America victory. Enzo Fernandez had streamed himself singing an offensive song about French players, which included a racist reference to their African heritage and a transphobic slur.
This incident caused significant backlash, especially from Fernandez's French Chelsea teammates, who unfollowed him on social media and publicly condemned his actions.
During the match itself, France secured their place in the semi-finals thanks to a first-half bullet header from Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
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The match was fiercely contested, with both sides keen on reaching the semi-finals. Thierry Henry's team thought they had doubled their lead late in the game, but their second goal was disallowed by VAR for a foul, keeping the scoreline at a narrow 1-0.
Tensions explode after France’s win over Argentina
The hostile atmosphere was evident from the outset, with the Argentine national anthem being widely booed by the crowd in Bordeaux. Throughout the match, the Argentine players were also booed whenever they maintained prolonged spells of possession.
The tension reached a boiling point after the final whistle, when players from both teams clashed in the center of the pitch. The scuffles initially appeared to subside, but tensions flared again as players sprinted down the tunnel towards an incident occurring inside the stadium.
The exact details of what transpired in the tunnel remain unclear, but the scene added to the already fraught atmosphere.
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Fernandez had apologised to his club mates in person, but the damage had been done. The French FA lodged a formal complaint to FIFA regarding the incident, and the animosity carried over into this Olympic encounter.
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