"Created a little more motivation" - France star insists players had Enzo Fernandez on their mind after win over Argentina at the 2024 Olympics
Alexandre Lacazette stated that the French national team was thinking about the video involving racist chanting that Enzo Fernandez made as they defeated Argentina in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Olympic men’s football. Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the lone goal of the match to send Les Bleus into the last four.
After Argentina's senior team won the Copa America 2024 title in the USA last month, Enzo Fernandez shared a video of their celebrations in which the squad could be seen singing racist chants about the French national team. The French Football Federation filed an official complaint with FIFA over the matter and several French players expressed their disapproval of La Albiceleste's actions.
In the wake of the incident, the game between both sides was played under heightened tensions.
After the match, former Arsenal player Lacazette said the now-deleted video posted by Enzo Fernandez on his Instagram gave them the motivation to beat Argentina. He said (via Tribal Football):
"But with what they have said in the last few weeks, our victory is there, on and off the pitch. We had in mind what was said (by Enzo Fernandez), we had to stay focused on the Olympics, but this may have created it a little more motivation for us and for France."
"I think it's a shame to say things like that in 2024, but we have faith in FIFA. In any case, we have a great team of young players."
Argentina are now out of the competition, while France will play against Egypt on Monday as they look to win their first gold medal since 1984.
Argentina defender Nicolas Otamendi says French players were disrespectful in their celebrations
Following Argentina’s loss to France in the quarterfinals of the Olympics, their captain, Nicolas Otamendi, expressed his anger over France’s provocative match-winning celebrations. The Argentines were booed for the entirety of the match by the French supporters, and consequently, fracas broke out between the players of both teams immediately after the final whistle.
After the melee died down, Otamendi was critical of the celebration of Thierry Henry’s men. He told Tyc Sports:
“It really pisses me off that players can celebrate, they can enjoy whatever they want, but where the people and family are, and celebrate with them there… There was one whose name I don’t even know, who if he wants to celebrate, he should come to us and we’ll sort it out there. But that really pisses me off, that they celebrate with them knowing that there are kids and family, that’s not good.”
Otamendi added:
“One of them went to celebrate on our bench. I didn’t really understand what was happening, but then I realized that he went to celebrate with our people. It’s one thing to celebrate on the field with your people, whatever you want, but I didn’t like that afterwards. It’s up to each person.”
Thierry Henry was also unhappy with the unsavory scenes at the end of the game, but he was more furious because one of his players, Enzo Millot, was sent off.