N’Golo Kante’s return to European football on Wednesday was supposed to be a moment of unfiltered celebration for Fenerbahçe.

Instead, the French midfielder’s arrival in Istanbul exposed how quickly transfer euphoria can curdle in a global game that no longer tolerates cultural blind spots.

Thousands of supporters gathered at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to welcome the World Cup-winning midfielder following his free transfer from Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad.

Chants, flares and club colors filled the terminal in a familiar scene of Turkish football excess.

Amid the crowd, however, a small group of fans painted their faces entirely black, a gesture that instantly went viral and sparked international condemnation.

What many of those involved appeared to see as admiration for Kante quickly became the defining image of his arrival.

From transfer fever to backlash

Images circulated rapidly across X, Instagram and Reddit, drawing criticism from anti-racism advocates and football figures outside Türkiye.

The act was widely labeled as blackface, a practice historically tied to racist caricature and mockery and now considered unacceptable in modern sport, regardless of intent.

The backlash shifted attention away from the significance of Kante’s signing, a major coup for the Süper Lig and toward a familiar debate over intent versus impact.

Critics argued that reducing a player to skin color, even in celebration, strips away dignity and echoes a history football has repeatedly vowed to leave behind.

Cultural disconnect

Within Türkiye, reaction was more fragmented.

Some fans defended the display as a misguided but harmless expression of passion, rooted in a local supporter culture that prizes extreme identification with players.

In that context, painting one’s face was framed as inclusion, becoming "one of us.”

International observers rejected that framing.

In a sport consumed across borders, they argued, symbols do not belong to one culture alone. What feels like devotion locally can read as dehumanizing globally.

This tension is not new to Turkish football.

The league has faced repeated scrutiny over racism-related incidents, even as clubs and supporters have also mobilized strongly against explicit discrimination, most notably following the 2020 Champions League incident involving Başakşehir assistant coach Pierre Webo.

Club and player response

Fenerbahçe did not issue an immediate public statement addressing the face-painting and no disciplinary measures were announced against the individuals involved.

The club instead emphasized the footballing value of Kante, who signed a 2.5-year deal as part of its push for domestic and European success.

Kante, known for his reserved demeanor, did not comment on the controversy.

He marked his arrival with a brief, upbeat message on social media welcoming "a new challenge” in Fenerbahçe colors.