Mexican soccer team Atlas FC issues a groveling apology after bizarrely using a quote from Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels (but they STILL haven’t deleted their tweet!)
- Atlas sent the tweet at 9:37am Eastern time and has yet to delete it
- The post generated negative reactions from Mexican soccer fans
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Mexican soccer team Atlas FC has issued an apology after posting a tweet that quoted Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels in its bid to defend a refereeing call.
‘We at Atlas FC are deeply sorry for any confusion that the use of a sensitive and unnecessary reference in a tweet this morning may have caused,’ the statement – originally in Spanish – began.
‘WE REJECT and are against any value that said regime represented in one of the darkest times of humanity. It is precisely what should be avoided in all aspects.
‘We reiterate our solidarity, friendship and affection for the Jewish community and all those who have been victims of barbarity as we reaffirm our commitment to work together as a society and stop defamation, distortion of information and lies as a petty way of seeking notoriety by harming others.
‘We will open the relevant investigations to understand the origin of the tweet and we will act accordingly internally. We call for fair play also off the pitch, where we all add to the spectacle, co-existence and the development of our football.’
Atlas FC decided to defend a controversial call by quoting Nazi propagandist Joseph Goebbels
The tweet paraphrases the Goebbels quote ‘Lie, lie lie. If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.’
During the team’s MLS Leagues Cup match against New York City FC, a video assistant referee deemed NYCFC’s late tying goal offside, and scratched it off the board to confirm Atlas’ 1-0 victory.
A prominent YouTuber then criticized the overturned decision, leading to a member of Atlas’ social media team hitting back in baffling fashion, quoting Goebbels in a bid to back up their opinion.
Posting to the team’s 863,000 followers, they said in Spanish: ‘This shot is crystal clear,’ alongside a grab of the incident in question.
‘The offside happens on the first play. It is unfortunate how “influencers” and media “analysts” manipulate and generate ideas of “supposed aid”.
‘But remembering what Goebbels, the Nazi Minister of Information (Hitler’s right-hand man) said applies perfectly: “Lie, Lie Lie [and it will] remain. The bigger a lie, the more people will believe it.” @werevertumorro.’
Shocked, the YouTuber Montiel tweeted out again. ‘Have you ever had something like this? Do you remember any team making a tweet of this type? Answering an “influencer” (so they say)… and citing a Nazi? I have never considered myself an influencer but fancy influencing an institution that’s doing so much juggling.’
Over 30 minutes after issuing the apology for posting the tweet, the initial post still remained up on the club’s Twitter feed.
The initial message generated reactions of confusion and shock for football fans worldwide.
Social media was stunned at the outrageous tweet and that it hadn’t been deleted
One soccer journalist wrote, ‘Am shocked this is still up after two hours and NO ONE at @AtlasFC doesn’t see the issue with a Tweet where not only is Goebbels mentioned but (Hitler’s right hand) is there too… INSANE…’
The Tennessean’s Drake Hills wrote, ‘Quoting the Nazi Minister of Information for an offsides call. This is Leagues Cup (?)’
‘I’m very, very, very, very (very) surprised that Atlas still haven’t deleted this tweet,’ ESPN’s Mexico soccer writer Cesar Hernandez said.
Newsday’s Ryan Gerbosi wrote, ‘Atlas admin referencing Goebbels and the Nazil while complaining about reaction to an offside call *which went its way* was not on my #LeaguesCup bingo card.’
The Athletic’s Jeff Rueter said, ‘Can’t believe we needed to clarify this, but there isn’t a single event on a soccer pitch which will ever warrant a comparison to the Holocaust.’
Mexican fans were also shocked by the tweet and its reaction, with one saying, ‘In which semester of Communication (school) [are you taught] to associate your brand with the Third Reich?’
Another said, ‘And there was no way to explain it without citing Nazis on Monday before noon?’
Atlas plays in the city of Guadalajara – which boasts the second largest Jewish population in the country behind the capital of Mexico City.
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