France captain Kylian Mbappé has strongly criticized Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla after she posted a series of racist remarks on social media following Paraguay’s elimination by Paraguay. FIFA World Cup. Controversy erupted after France defeated Paraguay in the Round of 16 on Saturday, with Mbappé scoring the decisive penalty to send Les Bleus through to the quarter-finals. After the match, Amarilla, a senator from Paraguay’s Radical Liberal Party, posted posts on X mocking the French star’s background, appearance, education and origins.
Kylian Mbappé post
Mbappé responded publicly on Monday, condemning the comments and accusing the senator of overshadowing what had been a historic tournament for Paraguay. “Because of your imprudence and your blatant racism, the whole world has already forgotten the journey and the historic effort that your players made during this World Cup,” wrote Mbappé on X. The French striker also described Amarilla as a “despicable woman” who was “unworthy” of serving in the Congress of Paraguay. The backlash quickly spread beyond football. The Paraguayan government issued an official statement distancing itself from the senator’s remarks and condemning them. The statement described Amarilla’s comments as “contrary to the values and principles that inspire peaceful coexistence and respect for human dignity that our country promotes.” The authorities also stressed that their views do not represent either the Paraguayan government or the Paraguayan people. The French Football Federation also issued a strong response, labeling the comments “absolutely abhorrent” and “unacceptable”. The federation said it would refer the matter to prosecutors. Support for Mbappé came from the highest levels of the French government. Emmanuel Macron publicly supported the striker, as did French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari. “In targeting Kylian Mbappé, the senator attacks everything that our captain embodies and everything that our country means: freedom, equality and fraternity,” Ferrari wrote on X.
Emmanuel Macron post
Macron also expressed his support, posting: “One more goal for Kylian Mbappé. This time against racism”, and adding that the captain of France had his “full support”.The latest controversy comes just days after former Paraguay goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert sparked criticism before the match by referring to France as “a team from Africa”. In response, French federation president Philippe Diallo said Chilavert “was once a great goalkeeper” but had now “fallen into disgrace”. France will now turn their attention to the pitch as they prepare to face Morocco in the World Cup quarter-finals, while the fallout from racist remarks continues to dominate the headlines off the pitch.