Former France captain Hugo Lloris has called the controversial song sung by some Argentina players an "attack on French people," but he hopes it was a mistake they can learn from.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez may face sanctions from his club after posting a video on social media that the French Football Federation claims included "racist and discriminatory language."
FIFA is also investigating the video, which shows several Argentina players celebrating their 1-0 Copa America win over Colombia with a song originally sung by Argentina fans that questions the heritage of France's black and mixed-race players.
Lloris, France's most capped player and captain during their 2018 World Cup win, expressed his shock at the behavior. "It doesn't matter if you are euphoric after winning an important trophy," he said. "Winning brings even more responsibility. 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."
The former Tottenham captain, now 37, signed with Major League Soccer's Los Angeles FC in December and was in the United States when Argentina won the Copa America in Miami. Lloris, who was on the losing side in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina, acknowledged their success.
"They [Argentina] are the face of football right now, in South America and the world. They deserve a lot of credit for what they have done on the field over the last four or five years," he said. "But when you win, you are an example for others, especially kids. It was a proper attack on the French people, especially those with African origin and family."
