Paris 2024: France Triumph Over Argentina in Olympic Clash, Sparks Wild Post Match Brawl
- France faced Argentina for the first time since a racism controversy in July during Friday night's Olympic quarter-final
- In a video shared on social media, the French players’ celebrations intensified the already heated rivalry after the match
- Both sides have traded blame, with Argentina veteran Nicolas Otamendi speaking out after the turmoil
France's 1-0 victory over Argentina at the Olympic Games was marred by a post-match brawl, as old tensions flared up once again.
On Friday, France secured their place in the men's football semi-finals at the Paris Games, with Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring the sole goal with a powerful header in the first half.
Source: Getty Images
Although France had a late second goal ruled out by VAR for a foul, the match's intensity was evident from the start.
The game was charged with animosity due to a recent racism controversy.
After Argentina’s Copa America win last month, Enzo Fernandez faced backlash for streaming himself singing a song that included racist and transphobic slurs against French players.
Fernandez was criticised by French teammates and the French FA lodged a formal complaint with FIFA, per the BBC.
France vs Argentina ends in brawl
In the match, the Argentine national anthem was met with boos from the Bordeaux crowd, and the Argentine players faced jeers during their possession.
Tensions escalated after the final whistle, leading to a scuffle between the two teams.
The situation intensified when players rushed down the tunnel, with an incident reported to have occurred there, though details are unclear.
After the post-match altercation, experienced player Nicolas Otamendi weighed in on the rivalry, stating:
"There was one guy.. Bal.. Ba.. whose name I don’t even know (Loïc Badé). If he wants to celebrate, he can come and sort it out with us."
Messi congratulates Argentina’s Gold medalist
The BMX cyclist, visibly thrilled by being the first Argentine to win a medal at the Paris Games, has received a wave of congratulations.
Among the many messages, one standout came from Argentine football legend Lionel Messi, who took to social media to praise Torres Gil's remarkable achievement, YEN.com.gh earlier reported.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
