'It pisses me off' - PSG goalkeeper says he's being 'portrayed as a fascist' after social media activity sparks fury in France

Just hours before PSG’s clash with Lyon, Chevalier woke up to a media firestorm. A screenshot circulating on social media showed that the young goalkeeper had liked a post from former MP Julien Aubert, suggesting support for the National Rally, a far-right party long accused of xenophobia. Within minutes, social media was ablaze with fans accusing him of aligning with extremist politics, others defending him as a victim of cancel culture.

The controversy couldn’t have come at a worse time. Chevalier, still struggling to win over the Parisian crowd after replacing Gianluigi Donnarumma, found himself painted as a political symbol rather than an athlete. In a club defined by its multicultural identity, the backlash was immediate with supporters from the Collectif Ultras Paris, known for their anti-racist stance, condemned the act, while others called for his dismissal.

PSG’s management quickly sought to defuse the tension, focusing attention on the Lyon match. But the uproar had already shaken the dressing room and overshadowed the game itself.

At around 4 a.m., an exhausted and furious Chevalier took to Instagram to set the record straight.

“I saw what was being said about me regarding the fact that I liked a post on Instagram with a political stance, which I obviously don’t share,” he wrote. “ I'm not trying to convince you, but it's disheartening to know that by scrolling and unknowingly liking a post, you're informed that your image has been completely tarnished for an accidental action. It pisses me off. The damage is done, and the die is cast. You tried to portray me as a fascist, and it wasn't just me you targeted, but my entire family.”

The goalkeeper went on to express his frustration at being reduced to a political caricature:

"I will never play the victim, but the lines have been crossed, and by a long shot. Furthermore, some people are using this to justify my mediocre sporting performances when they have absolutely no understanding of the goalkeeper position. It's the same people from the beginning, and they seem to enjoy it. Anyway. I wanted to apologise for the inconvenience caused, because ultimately, I am the one in charge. I have always tried to be a good person in my daily life and on the pitch, and I will continue to do so. I don't often speak out, but it was necessary today because the world we live in is tending to go haywire. 

"I truly never thought I'd one day have to explain myself about this completely ludicrous matter on social media."

As the story spread, the backlash took an uglier turn. Chevalier faced personal insults online, with hate messages flooding his accounts. Paradoxically, the far-right politician Eric Ciotti came to his defence, denouncing “anti-white racism” and calling the attacks “unbearable.”

This unexpected endorsement only deepened the controversy further fuelling debates about double standards, political opportunism, and the toxic intersection between sport and ideology. The affair became less about football and more about France’s social fractures, exposing how athletes now operate in a space where neutrality itself is politicised.

Many fans, however, urged restraint. Prominent commentators reminded the public that “a like is not a manifesto,” and that intent matters. Yet in an era of screenshots and instant outrage, nuance often comes too late.

On the field, the night was no kinder to Chevalier. During PSG’s 3-2 win over Lyon, he was at fault for two goals. One from Afonso Moreira’s counterattack and another from Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s lob, mistakes that reignited doubts about his form. Despite making several key saves, his shaky performance only compounded the pressure.

Teammates like Lucas Hernandez publicly backed him, insisting that defensive lapses, not goalkeeping errors alone, were to blame. But the headlines had already shifted with Chevalier’s image crisis had become a defining subplot of PSG’s season.

Now, as PSG prepare for fixtures against Le Havre, Monaco, Rennes and Tottenham in the Champions League, Chevalier faces a test far greater than any he’s had between the posts. He must restore faith and not only in his ability as a goalkeeper but in his integrity as a professional.