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The French ambbadador to the United States lambasted actor Trevor Noah on Wednesday for declaring that Africa deserved credit for France's victory in the 2018 World Cup because of the large number of black players of the team.
Gerard Araud wrote a letter strongly addressed to Noah on Wednesday, accusing the humorist of "legitimizing" racist ideologies and denying the "Frenchness" of the players with his comments on their race and their origins.
Noah claimed that "Africa won the World Cup" in a segment on "The Daily Show" on Monday, a day after France beat Croatia 4-2 in Moscow, a joke that some feel racist.
"I understand, they have to say that it's the France team," Noah said Monday. "But look at these guys, you do not tan when you hang out in the south of France, my friends.
Araud said that he was watching "with a lot of attention" on Monday, and that he was not laughing.
Evan Agostini / Invision / AP " I heard your words about an African victory, nothing could be less By calling them an African team, it seems like you are denying their Frenchness, "Araud said Wednesday. "This, even jokingly, legitimizes the ideology that claims whiteness as the only definition of being French."
France won the most coveted football award for the second time in the history of the country with a team with black and Muslim players.
Araud acknowledged that some of the "parents may have come from another country," but he said that all 23 players were born in France except two.
"They were educated in France, they learned to play football in France, and they are French citizens," he said. "They are proud of their country, France".
Jean-Philippe Ksiazek / AFP / Getty Images [19659008] watching the final match of the 2018 Russia World Cup between France and Croatia, July 15, 2018 in Lyon, France
Martin Meissner / AP Araud also took a look at America, saying: "Unlike the United States, France does refrain not to their citizens. religion or origin. "
The Embbady of France in the United States broadcast the letter to the public via Twitter Wednesday around 5 am. Eastern, and it was not long before Noah responded.
"When I say" African ", I'm not saying that it's to exclude them from their French – I say it to include them in my Africanity. See you soon, my French brother. African origin, "Noah in a video posted on Twitter.
The comedian read part of Araud's letter in part of his show titled "Behind the Scenes" in which he seemed to double his original message.
"I will continue to congratulate them for being Africans because I believe that they are from Africa – their parents come from Africa – and they can be French, because I believe that they can both at the same time, "Noah said. "And if the French say that they can not be, then I think they have a problem and not me."
"America is not a perfect place," he added, "but what I love about this country is that people can still celebrate their identity in their Americanness. "
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