Comedy Central host Trevor Noah is facing backlash after he made a joke about the World Cup-winning French national soccer team that many social media users deemed racist.

During Monday night’s edition of “The Daily Show,” Mr. Noah joked about how the French team, which scored a 4-2 victory over Croatia in Moscow on Sunday, looked like they were the African team because of the color of their skin.

TONIGHT: Congratulations to Africa on winning the 2018 Men’s World Cup! pic.twitter.com/ly1wxU1VzT — The Daily Show (@TheDailyShow) July 17, 2018

“Yes! I’m so excited!,” Mr. Noah, a South African, exclaimed. “Africa won the World Cup! Africa won the World Cup!

“I get it, they have to say it’s the French team, but look at those guys,” he said. “You don’t get that tan by hanging out in the south of France, my friends.

“Basically if you don’t understand, France is Africans’ backup team,” he added. “Once Senegal and Nigeria got knocked out, that’s who we root for. It’s like when Paul Simon wins a Grammy, we’re like, ‘Yes, we’ll take that, too, thank you very much.’”

The joke was met with immediate backlash online.

This is what racists say about our team here in France. You didn’t know, now you know. https://t.co/25oYInJerS — Kevin Razy (@KevinRazy) July 17, 2018

@Trevornoah is straight up racist. I loved him and the more I watched the show the more I could see he definitely has a fucked up agenda. — Martin Médus 💫 (@MartinMedus) July 17, 2018

You’re a fucking racist @Trevornoah. Those people are French and pissed to always be reminded of their background. They fight hard to tell people they are proud French people and yet you disrespect them calling them African. Are the Lakers an African team? — Martin Médus 💫 (@MartinMedus) July 17, 2018

Was the DreamTeam in 1992 an African Team ? Was Dwane Wade or Hakeem Olajuwon Africans Players of Team Usa when they won the Olympics Games? Was Barack Obama an African Président ? French Team win the World cup, respect the French players ! pic.twitter.com/BPINb0t58T — Stéphane Tiki (@stephanetiki) July 18, 2018

So fucking racist, you should be ashamed @Trevornoah — Nagui (@Nagui) July 18, 2018

Mr. Noah’s comments came just a day before former President Barack Obama championed the diversity of the French team during a speech in Johannesburg honoring late South African leader Nelson Mandela.

“Just ask the French football team that just won the World Cup. … Not all of those folks looked like Gauls to me. But they’re French! They’re French,” Mr. Obama said.

Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro commented during an event Monday that the French team “seems like the African team.”

“In reality Africa won, the African immigrants who arrived in France,” Mr. Maduro said. “How much have they despised Africa, and in the football World Cup France won the trophy thanks to African players or the sons of Africans.”

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