Former Super Eagles and Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has criticized Enzo Fernandez following revelations of racist chants sung by the Argentina national team. The incident occurred after Argentina’s 2024 Copa America victory over Colombia, with videos surfacing of Fernandez and his teammates singing derogatory songs about French players of African descent.
In a recent podcast, Mikel expressed his disapproval of the behavior, stating, “The whole thing is very sensitive, and it always is when something like this happens. Everybody has their opinion when it comes to these issues. One thing I will say about it is that I don’t condone such acts as a person or a player.”
Mikel acknowledged the excitement surrounding Argentina’s back-to-back Copa America win but emphasized that the team should have been more responsible. “When you are winning is actually when you need to be responsible. You need to be more humble and know that everything you do is being picked up. I don’t think it was worth it. It just spoils the whole celebration and everything they have achieved.”
He further noted, “I don’t think it was only him singing, everybody was. It was wrong, and it’s not his place to say these kinds of things.”