Enzo Fernandez

[formerly known as ivan]

Appears to be in a spot of bother, singing a racist song about French players.

Apparently caused some unrest with the French players in the Chelsea squad.

Simple question, why do these people do such stupid things???

[Back of the Dolman]

12 minutes ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Appears to be in a spot of bother, singing a racist song about French players.

Apparently caused some unrest with the French players in the Chelsea squad.

Simple question, why do these people do such stupid things???

Because they’re stupid ! Peoples IQ’s seem to drop when they get on social media 

[REDOXO]

38 minutes ago, Back of the Dolman said:

Because they’re stupid ! Peoples IQ’s seem to drop when they get on social media 

Or money!

[joe jordans teeth]

51 minutes ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Appears to be in a spot of bother, singing a racist song about French players.

Apparently caused some unrest with the French players in the Chelsea squad.

Simple question, why do these people do such stupid things???

It’s all a bit odd why it’s racist and as for the trans bit that has been common knowledge for years regarding mbappe 

[Sleepy1968]

38 minutes ago, joe jordans teeth said:

It’s all a bit odd why it’s racist and as for the trans bit that has been common knowledge for years regarding mbappe 

I guess the racism is aimed at the black members of the French team?

[Malago]

2 hours ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Appears to be in a spot of bother, singing a racist song about French players.

Apparently caused some unrest with the French players in the Chelsea squad.

Simple question, why do these people do such stupid things???

Tbf to Fernandez, it wasn’t just him singing, it was the entire Argentine squad, it’s just that Enzo thought it a good idea to post in on his instagram feed.

[TV Tom]

Who is Enzo Fernandez? Sounds like he should be a formula 1 driver

[Olé]

2 hours ago, Malago said:

Tbf to Fernandez, it wasn’t just him singing, it was the entire Argentine squad, it’s just that Enzo thought it a good idea to post in on his instagram feed.

But he’s a £100m player who plays for Chelsea, a club with French players of African heritage and a two decade history of a lot of top European players of African heritage (let alone top African players full stop). He’s put his club and club teammates in a very difficult position and in his video he is front and centre of this.

To be honest this guy is a complete idiot and I hope all the Argentine players when back in Europe get everything that’s coming to them. Enzo specifically came from Benfica. a club whose history and reputation is built on Eusebio, a generational talent of 60 years ago who this childish Mbappe taunt effectively ridicules.

It’s a disgusting attempt at implying some sort of indigenous separation of race and nationality which should insult many European national teams given the make up in their sides. Given that Argentina has its own history of assimilation (Italian, German, Scottish workers) it’s both hypocritical and deliberately race baiting.

 

[Monkeh]

7 hours ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Appears to be in a spot of bother, singing a racist song about French players.

Apparently caused some unrest with the French players in the Chelsea squad.

Simple question, why do these people do such stupid things???

We are in a age where people think free speech means you can say anything, that's not how free speech works

[Mr Hankey]

Probably the end of Fernandez’s Chelsea/Prem career, don’t think he will be welcomed back by their large French contingent. Singing something like that is stupid to begin with, but to then livestream it? Idiotic.

[Steve Watts]

The hypocrisy is so stark though. France's African contingent is borne out of colonialism, and France still maintains a string presence there. 

Meanwhile Garnacho and Maffeo are two examples of Argentina internationals who qualify for Argentina (the latter being in the squad that sung the song) only because of the Spanish colonisation of South America.

[formerly known as ivan]

6 hours ago, Malago said:

Tbf to Fernandez, it wasn’t just him singing, it was the entire Argentine squad, it’s just that Enzo thought it a good idea to post in on his instagram feed.

He wasn’t but that doesn’t excuse him from anything. Plus he was the one recording it and putting it on social media

[Super]

1 hour ago, Mr Hankey said:

Probably the end of Fernandez’s Chelsea/Prem career, don’t think he will be welcomed back by their large French contingent. Singing something like that is stupid to begin with, but to then livestream it? Idiotic.

They have already "unfollowed" him. 

[Mr Hankey]

5 minutes ago, Super said:

They have already "unfollowed" him. 

That's when you know there aint no coming back!

[PHILINFRANCE]

8 hours ago, Sleepy1968 said:

I guess the racism is aimed at the black members of the French team?

Well, Yes.

Especially as they sing that (roughly translated) ‘The players play for France, but come from Angola’.

[TammyAB]

[Son of a Ciderhead]

What exactly are you trying to say with this photo? Yes, many players on the French team are black and have African heritage, which is a result of France's colonial history. However, that does not mean they have less right to play for France than their white counterparts. International football often simplifies the identities of players, who may happily identify with multiple nationalities/ethnicities while still being proud to play for only one country. The English national team also has players with roots from Ireland to West Africa. Marcus Thuram's (I believe the only player in this photo born outside of France - in Parma, Italy) father, Lillian in fact features in a fantastic documentary on the topic of the ethnic makeup of the French national team and how it has been politicised in France: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6020236/ 

[Curr Avon]

13 hours ago, formerly known as ivan said:

Appears to be in a spot of bother, singing a racist song about French players.

Apparently caused some unrest with the French players in the Chelsea squad.

Simple question, why do these people do such stupid things???

Alcohol, laced with stupidity makes them say it.

The fact that they think like this makes it far worse.

Edited July 17 by Curr Avon

[The Batman]

Moronic, no other word for it. But not unexpected. 

Another example to add to my footballing hypocrisy list. Guarantee if fans sung it in the ground, they'd probably be barred but players do it, their clubs will do a fabulous impression of an ostrich. 

Chelsea signed fernandez for £110 million in Jan 2023, plus a 8 and a half year contract worth £200k a week (certain he signed a revised one last season so probably earning more now). Guarantee he'll start the first game of the season if he's fit. Nobody will pay that fee for him nor pay the wages. 

[The Humble Realist]

Sky, bbc , the premier league etc all make a huge deal of 'saying no to racism '....with zero tolerance. 

Let's see if anything actually happens here of substance or whether Fernandez simply 'gets fined and attends an education course '.

Safe to say if any of us sang a racist song we would be sacked. 

[chinapig]

The usual boiler plate apology:

“I stand against discrimination in all forms and apologise for getting caught up in the euphoria of our Copa América celebrations. That video, that moment, those words, do not reflect my character or beliefs. I am truly sorry.”

If it doesn't reflect his character or beliefs he had the choice not to do it in the first place. Empty words.

 

[REDOXO]

13 hours ago, Olé said:

But he’s a £100m player who plays for Chelsea, a club with French players of African heritage and a two decade history of a lot of top European players of African heritage (let alone top African players full stop). He’s put his club and club teammates in a very difficult position and in his video he is front and centre of this.

To be honest this guy is a complete idiot and I hope all the Argentine players when back in Europe get everything that’s coming to them. Enzo specifically came from Benfica. a club whose history and reputation is built on Eusebio, a generational talent of 60 years ago who this childish Mbappe taunt effectively ridicules.

It’s a disgusting attempt at implying some sort of indigenous separation of race and nationality which should insult many European national teams given the make up in their sides. Given that Argentina has its own history of assimilation (Italian, German, Scottish workers) it’s both hypocritical and deliberately race baiting.

 

I didn’t actually know what this TEAM were singing. So for anyone else in the dark see below. 
 

The chant goes: "Listen, spread the word, they play in France, but they are all from Angola, they are going to run well, they like to sleep with trans people, their mum is Nigerian, their dad is Cameroonian, but on the passport it says: French."

Argentina World Champions and South American champions who beat France in the World Cup final two years ago  

FIFA (the pathetic money making machine with no guts and no tax consequence) has to step in and hammer the Argentine FA good and proper  

 

[PHILINFRANCE]

17 hours ago, Sleepy1968 said:

I guess the racism is aimed at the black members of the French team?

Well, Yes.

Especially as they sing that (roughly translated) ‘The players play for France, but come from Angola’.

[The Coach]

If I was part of that Chelsea squad I would be refusing to play until he’s gone. 

Zero tolerance for that behaviour.

[Numero Uno]

1 minute ago, The Coach said:

If I was part of that Chelsea squad I would be refusing to play until he’s gone. 

Zero tolerance for that behaviour.

Puts Chelsea in an awkward position because I can't see the likes of Chalobah, Fofana, Jackson, Sterling, Caceido and about another five or six others in their squad having that......effectively £100m down the crapper.

I imagine he'll get farmed out to Spain or Italy.

[REDOXO]

45 minutes ago, Numero Uno said:

Puts Chelsea in an awkward position because I can't see the likes of Chalobah, Fofana, Jackson, Sterling, Caceido and about another five or six others in their squad having that......effectively £100m down the crapper.

I imagine he'll get farmed out to Spain or Italy.

I suspect you are right. I’m sure one of those all Caucasian clubs will pick him up.  

[Phileas Fogg]

20 hours ago, Back of the Dolman said:

Because they’re stupid ! Peoples IQ’s seem to drop when they get on social media 

Most countries are a lot more racist than ours. South American/SE Asian countries in particular. It’s inherent in culture in many ways and this video doesn’t surprise me. 

The myth that in 2021 there was ‘racist abuse’ from England fans (wilfully) neglects to state that most of this abuse came from IP addresses based overseas.

Unless you’ve lived in other countries, you might not get it - but we do really well as a country. It’s other countries that need to catch up.  

[Charlie BCFC]

20 hours ago, joe jordans teeth said:

It’s all a bit odd why it’s racist and as for the trans bit that has been common knowledge for years regarding mbappe 

Taking the mick out of their players saying that they’re “not French” is definitely racist. Putting it on your social media when you play with French players that have African heritage is absolute idiocy aswell

 

[Maltshoveller]

2 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Well, Yes.

Especially as they sing that (roughly translated) ‘The players play for France, but come from Angola’.

Do any of the French players come from Angola?

[TammyAB]

8 minutes ago, Maltshoveller said:

Do any of the French players come from Angola?

Yes Camavinga does

[PHILINFRANCE]

17 minutes ago, Maltshoveller said:

Do any of the French players come from Angola?

Apart from Eduardo Camavinga, a good old Portuguese name just like one of my favourite ever players, Eusebio, who also hailed from the former colony, I am not aware of any.

I see that @TammyAB has already mentioned him.

Edited July 17 by PHILINFRANCE

[PHILINFRANCE]

Just now, PHILINFRANCE said:

Apart from Eduardo Camavinga, a good old Portuguese name just like one of my favourite ever players, Eusebio, who also hailed from the former colony, I am not aware of any.

 

[38MC]

3 hours ago, Numero Uno said:

Puts Chelsea in an awkward position because I can't see the likes of Chalobah, Fofana, Jackson, Sterling, Caceido and about another five or six others in their squad having that......effectively £100m down the crapper.

I imagine he'll get farmed out to Spain or Italy.

Absolutely. Even Mason Greenwood today is subject to a £25m transfer.

Chelsea will get something for him, and he’ll realise he has to stomach a pay cut - because he’s toast in England, and he’s ruined Chelsea’s dressing room after they have had a terrible season - but some other cultures do have shorter memories. 

I would also like to think, that after Adrian Mutu, John Terry, I’m sure I am missing another scandal, that Chelsea have learnt to have in place in their players’ contracts pretty hefty punitive charges for actions amounting to gross misconduct. 
 

I’m sure he doesn’t get seen again until January, goes on an international loan somewhere, and by the next summer is sold for a similar fee to Greenwood. 

Edited July 17 by 38MC

[Charlie BCFC]

4 minutes ago, 38MC said:

Absolutely. Even Mason Greenwood today is subject to a £25m transfer.

Chelsea will get something for him, and he’ll realise he has to stomach a pay cut - because he’s toast in England, and he’s ruined Chelsea’s dressing room after they have had a terrible season - but some other cultures do have shorter memories. 

I would also like to think, that after Adrian Mutu, John Terry, I’m sure I am missing another scandal, that Chelsea have learnt to have in place in their players’ contracts pretty hefty punitive charges for actions amounting to gross misconduct. 
 

I’m sure he doesn’t get seen again until January, goes on an international loan somewhere, and by the next summer is sold for a similar fee to Greenwood. 

Slightly off topic and there may be a thread somewhere but that whole transfer is an absolute joke 

[38MC]

3 minutes ago, Charlie BCFC said:

Slightly off topic and there may be a thread somewhere but that whole transfer is an absolute joke 

It’s bonkers.
 

Chelsea have Enzo on a very long contract deal. They don’t have to play him again, and I doubt they ever will, but they will get some return on him. If even Mason Greenwood is worth £25m, he’s worth something… hopefully somewhere else. 
 

He’ll go on loans abroad until someone stumps up a fair bit of capital. Chelsea will get a fair bit of wages covered; and maybe he forfeits some of them or some loyalty bonuses anyway for gross misconduct - you’d hope. 

Edited July 17 by 38MC

[PHILINFRANCE]

14 minutes ago, 38MC said:

Absolutely. Even Mason Greenwood today is subject to a £25m transfer.

Chelsea will get something for him, and he’ll realise he has to stomach a pay cut - because he’s toast in England, and he’s ruined Chelsea’s dressing room after they have had a terrible season - but some other cultures do have shorter memories. 

I would also like to think, that after Adrian Mutu, John Terry, I’m sure I am missing another scandal, that Chelsea have learnt to have in place in their players’ contracts pretty hefty punitive charges for actions amounting to gross misconduct. 
 

I’m sure he doesn’t get seen again until January, goes on an international loan somewhere, and by the next summer is sold for a similar fee to Greenwood. 

[McNasty Filth]

4 hours ago, REDOXO said:

I didn’t actually know what this TEAM were singing. So for anyone else in the dark see below. 
 

The chant goes: "Listen, spread the word, they play in France, but they are all from Angola, they are going to run well, they like to sleep with trans people, their mum is Nigerian, their dad is Cameroonian, but on the passport it says: French."

Argentina World Champions and South American champions who beat France in the World Cup final two years ago  

FIFA (the pathetic money making machine with no guts and no tax consequence) has to step in and hammer the Argentine FA good and proper  

 

This is a tipping point for me with FIFA/UEFA/COMMEBOL/PREMIER LEAGUE, time to walk the walk and stop talking the talk. Ban all these players and take their registrations away for a year, or go even further, and that includes Messi if he's found to be joining in. No more banning for say 4/5 games, time to get tough with these racist c****.

[REDOXO]

1 hour ago, McNasty Filth said:

This is a tipping point for me with FIFA/UEFA/COMMEBOL/PREMIER LEAGUE, time to walk the walk and stop talking the talk. Ban all these players and take their registrations away for a year, or go even further, and that includes Messi if he's found to be joining in. No more banning for say 4/5 games, time to get tough with these racist c****.

I don’t consider myself as liberal or woke or whatever, but I know right from wrong and I’m bloody furious. The fact that the players and Argentine FA are prepared to send one guy to the metaphorical gallows makes me want to puke! 

[Malago]

7 hours ago, REDOXO said:

I didn’t actually know what this TEAM were singing. So for anyone else in the dark see below. 
 

The chant goes: "Listen, spread the word, they play in France, but they are all from Angola, they are going to run well, they like to sleep with trans people, their mum is Nigerian, their dad is Cameroonian, but on the passport it says: French."

Argentina World Champions and South American champions who beat France in the World Cup final two years ago  

FIFA (the pathetic money making machine with no guts and no tax consequence) has to step in and hammer the Argentine FA good and proper  

 

Racist and not very bright.

Angola was a Portuguese colony and after Brazil has the second largest Portuguese speaking population in the world.

 

[North London Red]

3 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Apart from Eduardo Camavinga, a good old Portuguese name just like one of my favourite ever players, Eusebio, who also hailed from the former colony, I am not aware of any.

I see that @TammyAB has already mentioned him.

Eusebio was from Mozambique, not Angola (but had an Angolan father).  

Edited July 18 by North London Red

[Olé]

4 hours ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Apart from Eduardo Camavinga, a good old Portuguese name just like one of my favourite ever players, Eusebio, who also hailed from the former colony, I am not aware of any.

Eusebio was actually from Mozambique not Angola. It’s a common misconception because Mozambique has never gone on to produce any famous footballers or success as a country, and it is Angola who are more familiar to people in terms of presence at tournaments (ACON, WC2006) and heritage of European players.

But you are absolutely right France has a large immigrant Portuguese and PALOP community that produces some of their successful footballers, just the same as Switzerland and Luxembourg have had a number of full internationals of African origin with Cape Verde heritage, from Portuguese immigrant communities.

It’s the world we live in and it’s such a calculatedly racist attack by the Argentine players as it picks on specifically black players in European teams as an anomaly and something they obviously think France should be ashamed of, while ignoring the fact the world is a web of nationalities and ethnicities. them included.

As stated yesterday THEY are littered with dual nationality players, why don’t they sing about Gonzalo Higuain, a white man from France who played for Argentina? Dybala who has Polish and Italian heritage? Gabriel Heinze the German Italian or even Messi who is of Italian and Spanish origin? Because they’re all white?

They know exactly the point of their song and as others said, I hope FIFA instead of force feeding fans anti racist preaching, throws the book at them. Going full circle back to Mozambique to show the futility of focus on race, Carlos Queiroz who managed Real Madrid and multiple world cups is a white man from Mozambique.

 

[Olé]

Surprisingly good history lesson this too - but then Tim Vickery is an expert in South American football: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cpe39n00ng2o

[PHILINFRANCE]

5 hours ago, North London Red said:

Eusebio was from Mozambique, not Angola (but had an Angolan father).  

 

4 hours ago, Olé said:

Eusebio was actually from Mozambique not Angola. It’s a common misconception because Mozambique has never gone on to produce any famous footballers or success as a country, and it is Angola who are more familiar to people in terms of presence at tournaments (ACON, WC2006) and heritage of European players.

But you are absolutely right France has a large immigrant Portuguese and PALOP community that produces some of their successful footballers, just the same as Switzerland and Luxembourg have had a number of full internationals of African origin with Cape Verde heritage, from Portuguese immigrant communities.

It’s the world we live in and it’s such a calculatedly racist attack by the Argentine players as it picks on specifically black players in European teams as an anomaly and something they obviously think France should be ashamed of, while ignoring the fact the world is a web of nationalities and ethnicities. them included.

As stated yesterday THEY are littered with dual nationality players, why don’t they sing about Gonzalo Higuain, a white man from France who played for Argentina? Dybala who has Polish and Italian heritage? Gabriel Heinze the German Italian or even Messi who is of Italian and Spanish origin? Because they’re all white?

They know exactly the point of their song and as others said, I hope FIFA instead of force feeding fans anti racist preaching, throws the book at them. Going full circle back to Mozambique to show the futility of focus on race, Carlos Queiroz who managed Real Madrid and multiple world cups is a white man from Mozambique.

 

How interesting, and Thank You to both of you for enlightening me.

I first watched Eusebio at the 1966 World Cup, and was mesmerised by his graceful, silky movement, and was almost disappointed when Portugal lost to England.

He fully justified his nickname of Black Pearl (or Panther), and I was fortunate enough to watch him again in the classic Wembley European Final of 1968, where Benfica lost to Manchester United.

My father had briefed me on Pele, but he was unfortunately kicked out in the qualifying rounds, and I wasn’t really able to appreciate him until the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

Since 1966, however, I have always been convinced that Eusebio was of Angolan heritage, even to the extent that when, many years ago I was involved in some construction work in Angola (motorways after the Civil War), I used to talk with my Portuguese and Angolan clients about their most famous footballer - I don’t recall that I was ever corrected.

I am sure you are both aware, but both Pele and Eusebio used to share the same nickname, O Rei.

[Akira]

On 17/07/2024 at 19:24, Numero Uno said:

Puts Chelsea in an awkward position because I can't see the likes of Chalobah, Fofana, Jackson, Sterling, Caceido and about another five or six others in their squad having that......effectively £100m down the crapper.

I imagine he'll get farmed out to Spain or Italy.

This sadly isn't the first time nor do I doubt it'll be the last where a player does something really stupid, then gets pushed out the door. But in what way is that a punishment? They'll get another contract, signing on bonus again I'm sure, prob get their old contract paid up etc etc. 

There's absolutely no punishment. 

Why don't any clubs sue the players whenever this sorta thing happens? Because he's their asset. And his actions have now affected his asset value. He's not even worth £50m now based on what he's done. So why can't a club sue him for damages? Genuine question, because with all the money these clubs have, seems like they pander so much to these players. 

[cidered abroad]

On 18/07/2024 at 07:43, PHILINFRANCE said:

 

How interesting, and Thank You to both of you for enlightening me.

I first watched Eusebio at the 1966 World Cup, and was mesmerised by his graceful, silky movement, and was almost disappointed when Portugal lost to England.

He fully justified his nickname of Black Pearl (or Panther), and I was fortunate enough to watch him again in the classic Wembley European Final of 1968, where Benfica lost to Manchester United.

My father had briefed me on Pele, but he was unfortunately kicked out in the qualifying rounds, and I wasn’t really able to appreciate him until the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

Since 1966, however, I have always been convinced that Eusebio was of Angolan heritage, even to the extent that when, many years ago I was involved in some construction work in Angola (motorways after the Civil War), I used to talk with my Portuguese and Angolan clients about their most famous footballer - I don’t recall that I was ever corrected.

I am sure you are both aware, but both Pele and Eusebio used to share the same nickname, O Rei.

And I saw Eusebio at Wembley in a World Cup qualifier for the 1962 Chile.

For me it was a real pleasure to see such a wonderful footballer playing live. And in a match where England players did their best to contain him but without all the nastiness that prevailed in the ‘66 finals. 

[chinapig]

So an apology and a donation to charity and case closed.

I'm sure Chelsea would do the same for any fan guilty of singing a racist song. Wouldn't they?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/jul/30/chelsea-take-no-action-against-enzo-fernandez-charity-racist-song

[Red-Robbo]

On 18/07/2024 at 03:32, Olé said:

Surprisingly good history lesson this too - but then Tim Vickery is an expert in South American football: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cpe39n00ng2o

One of the most interesting and cogent articles I've ever read on BBC Sport. Thanks for posting. 

[Red-Robbo]

On 17/07/2024 at 21:52, TammyAB said:

Yes Camavinga does

A quick Google suggests that Camavinga was born in Angola to Congolese refugee parents, which probably explains why they eventually settled in  France rather than Portugal. Other than that all the other black players in the French squad seem to have been born in France, other than Maignan, who was born in French Guinea, which is treated as part of France administratively, and the Thuram brothers, born in Italy when Marcel Thuram played there. 

 

[The Humble Realist]

2 hours ago, chinapig said:

So an apology and a donation to charity and case closed.

I'm sure Chelsea would do the same for any fan guilty of singing a racist song. Wouldn't they?

https://www.theguardian.com/football/article/2024/jul/30/chelsea-take-no-action-against-enzo-fernandez-charity-racist-song

This is why all of the promotion they do around racism is virtue signalling. 

Clubs, the premier league, sky, bbc....they all say 'we will not tolerate it' but then when a player has an incident they can make a donation and the world moves on. 

We either want to tackle  the problem or we dont but treading lightly when we punish will definitely not work