Former EPL striker brands Messi 'SELFISH' for failing to condemn his team-mates

A former Premier League striker has urged Lionel Messi to speak out following Argentina's controversial Copa America celebrations.

After the Albiceleste defeated Colombia in extra-time to secure back-to-back triumphs in the competition last week, footage of their subsequent celebrations went viral on social media.

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez live streamed some of the celebrations on his Instagram account and later came under fire as the players could be heard singing a controversial song.

The chant, that originated around Argentina's 2022 World Cup win over France claims French players are 'from Angola' or have a 'Nigerian' mother and a 'Cameroonian' father.

While the squad returned to Buenos Aires after the final, Argentina captain Lionel Messi is said to have remained in Miami and was not present on the bus as the controversial incident took place.

However, former Chelsea and West Ham striker Carlton Cole has insisted the Inter Miami star has to take accountability and condemn the actions of his team-mates.

'Argentina have got someone who is renowned as probably the best footballer to ever grace the beautiful game - Lionel Messi,' Cole said on talkSPORT.

'We've got a look at Messi and you say, you know what, Messi come out. We need to hear you. I need you to. You've got to speak up about this.

'Because this is more than Enzo. Messi is the main guy there. He's the captain. He needs to come out and say something about this behaviour.

'Otherwise, it's just like he doesn't care. He doesn't care how I feel, he doesn't care how some of his black teammates he's had in the past feel.

'That just shows me that he's selfish. He needs to come out and say something.

'I condemn him. Simple. I condemn Messi.'

Chelsea are conducting their own probe into the incident after Fernandez found himself at the centre of the storm.

The 23-year-old has since apologised in a post on social media, claiming that he got 'caught up in the euphoria of our celebrations'.

His Blues team-mate Wesley Fofana, who is French and the son of an Ivorian father, criticised the video, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to share the footage with the caption: 'Football in 2024: uninhibited racism'.