How Argentina and France Became Rivals On and Off the Field

Opponents in the quarter-finals of the football tournament on Friday, the two nations have seen an enmity emerge and grow for two years now.

The poster is enticing and will offer the Olympic football tournament a little more light in these Paris Olympic Games. France challenges Argentina in the quarter-finals, Friday August 2, for a clash between two avowed contenders for the gold medal. A clash between two opponents with recent enmity, born during the 2022 World Cup, concluded with a final won by the Argentinians on penalties and fueled since then.

Some will say that the starting point dates back to the round of 16 of the previous World Cup, in 2018, when the Blues eliminated the Albiceleste at the end of another legendary match (4-3). “Jorge Sampaoli (then Argentina coach) was designated as the person responsible for the failure rather than France”says Thomas Broggini, a French journalist in Argentina. According to him, this new Franco-Argentine rivalry has its source in an interview with Kylian Mbappé, whose remarks “have offended the Argentines and even all the South Americans”.

The interview in question dates back to May 2022, just after his last extension with PSG, and was given to the media TNT Sports. Asked about his favorites for the World Cup, he did not mention Argentina and upset an entire continent: “The advantage we Europeans have is that we always play among ourselves. We have high-level matches all the time, like in the Nations League. When we arrive at the World Cup, we are ready, whereas Brazil and Argentina do not have that level. In South America, football is not as advanced as in Europe. The last World Cups, when you look at them, it is always the Europeans who win.”.

“Obviously, the 2022 World Cup has strengthened the rivalry, but not the final itself, but rather the aftermath. The whistles against Messi (under the colors of PSG) have gone down very badly here, as have the repeated criticisms of Emiliano Martinez, because both have been untouchable since the triumph in Qatar.”develops the correspondent in Argentina Thomas Broggini, who sees rivalry especially on the French side. “France is not really seen as a rival like Brazil or Uruguay by Argentinian football followers. I think the rivalry is amplified by social networks more than anything else”downplays Argentine journalist Tomas De Micheli.

Still, tensions between the two countries escalated two weeks ago without them facing each other on a sports field. On July 15, when Argentina won the Copa America – the South American equivalent of the Euros – some players were filmed during the title celebrations singing a verse of a racist chant against the French team. The tune, which was already sung by Argentinian fans at the World Cup in Qatar (at the start of the tournament), includes this passage: “Listen, pass it around. They play in France but they all come from Angola. It’s good that they run, they’re like transvestites, like Mbappé’s bitch. His old lady is Nigerian, his old man Cameroonian, but on his papers, he’s French national.”.

In the foreground of the video that went viral, midfielder Enzo Fernandez was hit on the volley by French international Wesley Fofana, his teammate at Chelsea. “Football in 2024: racism without complexes”he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). Jules Koundé had given him his support and the two men were then subjected to a wave of racist messages, which led the French Football Federation to step in.

In Argentina, Undersecretary of State for Sports Julio Garro asked Lionel Messi, captain of the national team, “apologize for this matter, as did the president of the Argentine Football Federation”The situation could have found a peaceful resolution, but the latter simply handed in his resignation after being taken to task by President Javier Milei. “HAS“No government can tell the Argentine national team, world champion and two-time South American champion, or any other citizen, what to comment, what to think or what to do.”wrote the president’s office on X. “No colonialist country is going to intimidate us for a song or for telling the truths they don’t want to admit,” added Argentine Vice President Victoria Villarruel.

Chelsea have decided not to sanction Enzo Fernandez, a key player in the team since his arrival in January 2023. “Enzo Fernandez apologized. He didn’t want to hurt the French fans or anyone. He didn’t understand when he sang, I trust him. Because I know him. I know Enzo. He’s not racist.”said Wesley Fofana on Wednesday, ready to bury the hatchet.

But the Olympic Games began at the height of the tension of this affair. For example, the Argentinian rugby players were widely whistled and booed on July 24 and 25 at the Stade de France. “OWe feel not always very friendly glances. The French are like us, very proud. And this rivalry has extended to all sports, it has become a real ‘Classic'”observes Agustin, an Argentinian supporter encountered on the tram in Paris on Thursday, confiding that he also encountered French people “very nice”.

The example of rugby was not representative. Crowned Olympic champion of BMX freestyle, ahead of the Frenchman Anthony Jeanjean, the Argentinian Jose Torres Gil of course heard a few whistles… directed in reality against the mark awarded by the referees to the Frenchman, and not to his nationality.

There will definitely be more tension for the football quarter-final in Bordeaux on Friday (9 p.m.), especially since the Argentinian team did not appreciate the “circus” during his defeat against Morocco upon his arrival on French soil, after a two-hour interruption and then an intervention by the VAR.

On the French side, Thierry Henry simply said that he “born wouldn’t talk about that”His players were a little more talkative in the mixed zone just after their victory against New Zealand on Tuesday. “With what happened recently, all French people are affected”Jean-Philippe Mateta had acknowledged. “Yes, there are necessarily antecedents, whether it be with the World Cup or the chants that we have heardJoris Chotard had projected. If it can be a little revenge, it’s up to us to take it.”