A row after Paraguay’s World Cup exit
Kylian Mbappé and the French Football Federation have sharply condemned Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla after she posted racist remarks about the France captain following Paraguay’s World Cup elimination.
According to TV 2, the controversy followed France’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the round of 16, a result that ended the South American nation’s run at the tournament.
The comments were published on X after the match and quickly drew international criticism. In one post, Amarilla referred to Mbappé, who was born in the Paris suburbs, as a “colonized Cameroonian, pretending hard to be French”, while also using several other personal insults.
Mbappé responds
Quoted by Le Monde, Mbappé replied directly to Amarilla: “You are a despicable woman, unworthy of your office.”
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The Real Madrid forward also said she did not represent Paraguay, a country he described as having shown “passion and honor throughout the competition”.
“I will never let people like her have the freedom to spread their hatred and racism around the world,” Mbappé added in his response on X.
FFF prepares legal complaint
The French Football Federation also issued a strong statement in support of its captain.
According to Última Hora, the FFF described Amarilla’s remarks as “totally abject and unacceptable” and said they were “criminal and reprehensible”.
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The federation said it would file a report with prosecutors with a view to legal proceedings. Its president, Philippe Diallo, also offered full support to Mbappé and to “all victims of such hateful comments”.
Paraguay distances itself
The backlash was not limited to France.
According to Última Hora, Paraguay’s foreign ministry rejected Amarilla’s comments and said they did not represent the official position of the government or the Paraguayan people.
The ministry said the remarks were incompatible with respect for human dignity and reaffirmed Paraguay’s commitment to fighting racism, xenophobia and discrimination.
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What began as a reaction to a football defeat has now become a diplomatic and legal controversy, with Mbappé at the centre of another public stand against racism in the sport.
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