Liga MX’s Atlas FC have apologized after referencing the Nazis and their chief propagandist, Joseph Goebbels, in a dispute over an offside decision.
New York City FC thought they had scored a late equalizer against Atlas in the teams’ match in the Leagues Cup, a competition between Liga MX and MLS sides. The goal was ruled out after a VAR review, and led to disputes on social media.
On Monday morning, Atlas’s official account defended the decision to rule out the goal.
“It is regrettable how ‘influencers’ and media ‘analysts’ manipulate, creating ideas of ‘supposed assistance,’ but remembering what Goebbels, Nazi Minister of Information (Hitler’s right-hand man), said and they apply it perfectly: ‘lie, lie, lie, and something will remain, the bigger the lie, the more people will believe it,” read the tweet.
There is no evidence that Goebbels ever used the “bigger lie” quote but it is often attributed to him.
The club later deleted the tweet and issued an apology.
“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 read.
“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 won the game 1-0. The Leagues Cup runs until the end of August.
