Former Premier League striker brands Lionel Messi ‘SELFISH’ for failing to condemn his team-mates for their racist chanting in Argentina’s Copa America celebrations
- A former Premier League star has spoken out against Argentina captain Lionel Messi
- He insisted the 37-year-old needed to speak out following the Copa America controversy
- A video of the Argentine festivities shared online has sparked a racism storm
A former Premier League striker has called on Lionel Messi to speak out after Argentina’s controversial Copa America celebrations.
After the Albiceleste beat Colombia in extra time last week to secure their second straight win, footage of their celebrations went viral on social media.
Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez livestreamed some of the festivities on his Instagram account and later drew criticism when the players sang a controversial song.
The rant, which emerged around Argentina’s victory over France at the 2022 World Cup, claims French players are “from Angola” or have a “Nigerian” mother and a “Cameroonian” father.
Although the squad returned to Buenos Aires after the final, Argentina captain Lionel Messi is said to have remained in Miami and was not on the bus when the controversial incident occurred.
Lionel Messi has been called upon to condemn his Argentina teammates in the wake of the Copa America racism controversy
Enzo Fernandez was photographed chanting the slogans on the Argentine bus during their festivities
However, former Chelsea and West Ham striker Carlton Cole has insisted the Inter Miami star must take responsibility and condemn the actions of his teammates.
“Argentina has someone who is known as probably the best footballer who has ever played the beautiful game: Lionel Messi,” Cole said on talkSPORT.
‘We have a look at Messi and you say, you know what, Messi come on. We have to listen to you. I need you. You have to talk about this.
‘Because this is more than Enzo. Messi is the most important man there. He is the captain. He has to come out and say something about this behavior.
“Otherwise it’s just like he doesn’t care. He doesn’t care how I feel, he doesn’t care how some of his black teammates that he’s had in the past feel.
“That just shows me that he’s selfish. He needs to come out and say something.
‘I condemn him. Simple. I condemn Messi.’
Chelsea are conducting their own investigation into the incident after Fernandez found himself at the centre of the storm.
Former Chelsea and West Ham star Carlton Cole called Messi ‘selfish’ for not publicly addressing his teammates
The 23-year-old has since apologized in a message on social media, saying he was “caught up in the euphoria of our festivities.”
His Blues teammate Wesley Fofana, a Frenchman with an Ivorian father, criticised the video and shared the footage on X (formerly Twitter) with the caption: ‘Football in 2024: rampant racism’.