FRANCE and Argentina players clashed on the pitch after an Olympic quarter-final.
France narrowly beat two-time gold medallist’s Argentina 1-0, but the game was marred by boiling tensions on the full-time whistle.
— Tekkers Foot (@tekkersfoot) August 2, 2024
Fight breaking out between Argentina & France after the final whistle! pic.twitter.com/ZcXhJta6wq
Players and staff of both sides were involved in a brawl on the pitch just moments after the referee called time on the game.
French coaching staff and players spilled onto the pitch in celebration at making an Olympic semi-final on home soil.
While Argentina coaches and substitutes were also seen running onto the playing surface.
There was clear pushing and shoving as a group of Argentine players confronted France star Enzo Millot.
Quel match de football… Mais quelle tristesse que ça se termine comme ça…
— Florent Torchut (@FlorentTorchut) August 2, 2024
Bravo à @equipedefrancepic.twitter.com/cyxG2nuuJU
While things escalated after other players got involved in a bid to try and calm things down.
At this time it’s not known what sparked the on-field battle.
However there was suggestion that France midfielder Millot had celebrated his nation’s victory over-zealously in the faces of Argentine players – sparking an angry reaction.
Millot was reportedly shown red after the full-time whistle for his participation in the scramble, despite being on the bench for the last five minutes of the game.
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France manager Thierry Henry was left seething at the decision to dismiss Millot, who will now miss the semi-final.
Henry said: “I apologise for the final disturbance. It’s not what I wanted and I couldn’t control it. In fact, they kicked out a player.
“That’s unnecessary, useless. He was on the bench. I’m really not happy about it.”
The brawl comes following “racism” controversy between both Argentina and France last month.
Argentina star Enzo Fernandez, who is not in the Olympic squad, live streamed a video of himself and his national teammates singing an offensive chant about the French national side following their Copa America glory this summer.
The vile chant appeared to take aim at the French national team and dates back to the 2022 World Cup, when Argentina beat France in the final on penalties.
Appearing on live TV back then, some fans from the South American country sang an offensive chant that alluded to a number of the French star’s African heritage.
And in Fernandez’s Instagram video, he and his team-mates could be heard to sing the sickening words during their celebrations.
Fernandez’s Chelsea teammate Wesley Fofana, who is French and the son of an Ivorian father, took to social media to slam the clip as “racism”.
He wrote: “Football in 2024: uninhibited racism“.
Fernandez has since issued an apology online to those who saw the video, as well as a private apology to his Chelsea teammates.
While Fofana revealed that he and Fernandez have made up, explaining that the South American is “not racist”.
After the pair both joined Chelsea‘s pre-season preparations together, Fofana said: “It’s simple. He arrived on Monday and we talked with the manager. We talked together.
“I explained why I didn’t like the video. He explained, he said sorry because he did not want to hurt French fans or anyone.
“He did not understand when singing it. He did not understand. And I trust him.
“Because I know him. I know he is not racist. The act, I felt a little bit upset. But now, it is done. It is finished.
“We play for the same club and badge and train together. Now I understand him. He understands me. Everybody is happy.”
