Senator refuses to back down
The political fallout from France’s World Cup victory over Paraguay has intensified after Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla again targeted Kylian Mbappé in public.
The controversy began after France beat Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16, with Mbappé scoring the decisive penalty. After the match, Amarilla posted a series of racist comments about the France captain, remarks that have since drawn condemnation from the French Football Federation, the Paraguayan government and Real Madrid.
According to The Associated Press, Mbappé responded by calling Amarilla a “despicable woman” who was “unworthy” of serving in Paraguay’s Congress.
“Through your recklessness and your brazen racism, the entire world has already forgotten the journey and the historic effort that your players accomplished during this World Cup,” Mbappé wrote on X.
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The message was both a defence of himself and a pointed reminder that Paraguay’s tournament had been overshadowed by the senator’s comments.
A new attack in Congress
Amarilla has since refused to offer a full apology.
According to Times of India, she escalated the dispute during a session of Congress, where she again criticised Mbappé and accused him of disrespecting Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
The senator’s anger appears to stem from an incident after the final whistle, when Mbappé was accused of ignoring Gill’s attempt to shake hands.
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Amarilla later claimed she could take legal action against Mbappé, accusing him of gender-based and political violence over the words he used in his response.
According to The Sun’s report on the press conference, Amarilla said: “I can sue him for gender violence and political violence, he should apologize to me.”
She also continued to frame herself as the wronged party, despite the international backlash against her own remarks.
France and Paraguay condemn the comments
The response from football and political authorities has been swift.
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According to The Guardian, French prosecutors have opened an investigation after the French Football Federation filed a complaint with the national unit for combating online hate.
The investigation is examining whether the remarks could amount to aggravated public insult or incitement to hatred or violence.
The FFF described Amarilla’s comments as “utterly abhorrent and unacceptable,” while France’s sports minister Marina Ferrari said the attack went beyond football.
“By targeting Kylian Mbappé, the senator is attacking everything our captain embodies and everything our country stands for: liberty, equality and fraternity,” Ferrari wrote.
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Paraguay’s government has also distanced itself from Amarilla’s remarks, saying they do not represent the values of the country or its people.
Real Madrid stand behind Mbappé
Mbappé has also received public backing from his club.
According to Real Madrid’s statement, republished by Managing Madrid, the Spanish club expressed its “strongest rejection” of the racist and xenophobic comments directed at its player.
The club said Amarilla’s statements were unbecoming of a political representative and gave its full support to Mbappé.
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“These behaviors that incite hatred should have no place in society,” Real Madrid said. “Football and sports are platforms for equality and solidarity, and Real Madrid will continue to work to ensure that racism, xenophobia, and violence are eradicated forever.”
The statement adds another layer of pressure on Amarilla, whose comments have now become an international issue rather than a domestic political controversy.
A World Cup row that refuses to fade
For France, the timing is far from ideal.
Mbappé and his teammates are preparing for a World Cup quarter-final against Morocco, but the debate around Amarilla’s remarks has continued to dominate headlines away from the pitch.
For Paraguay, the episode has also shifted attention away from a proud tournament run. Their players pushed France to the limit, only for the aftermath to become defined by a political row.
That was the point Mbappé made in his own response. His criticism was not only about the attack on him, but about the damage done to the image of Paraguay’s team.
The football has moved on. The controversy has not.
