World Cup: Mbappé Blasts Paraguayan Senator For Racist Comments

French football star Kylian Mbappé has strongly condemned Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla after she made racist remarks about him on social media following France’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to Ireporter Online, Amarilla, a senator representing Paraguay’s Liberal Radical Party, posted insulting comments on her account after the match, describing the Real Madrid forward as a “colonised Cameroonian” who only pretended to be French. She also made several personal insults and claimed the France captain appeared fearful during the encounter, despite France securing a narrow victory to book a place in the quarter-finals.

Mbappé responded with a strongly worded statement, describing Amarilla as unfit for public office. He said her remarks did not reflect the values of Paraguay, a nation he praised for its passion and commitment throughout the tournament. The French captain argued that her racist comments had overshadowed the remarkable efforts of Paraguay’s players and projected a negative image of the country to the rest of the world. He also vowed to continue speaking out against racism and those who seek to spread hatred.

The French Football Federation (FFF) subsequently announced that it would initiate criminal proceedings against the senator, describing her comments as completely unacceptable and potentially criminal. The federation maintained that such statements must face legal consequences, stressing that the insults were directed not only at Mbappé but also at the French national team and the country it represents.

Paraguay’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also distanced the government from Amarilla’s comments, stating that her remarks contradict the principles of respect, peaceful coexistence, and human dignity upheld by the nation. The ministry emphasized that her views neither represent the Paraguayan government nor the Paraguayan people.

Mbappé, who converted the decisive penalty in Saturday’s victory, has now scored seven goals at the tournament, placing him level with Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland as the competition’s joint top scorer. France will face Morocco in the quarter-finals in Boston on Thursday.

French President Emmanuel Macron publicly expressed his support for Mbappé, praising the forward for standing up against racism and declaring that France’s values of dignity, respect, and fraternity would always prevail over hate.

The latest controversy follows earlier remarks by former Paraguay goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert, who claimed before the match that Paraguay would be playing against “a squad from Africa.” Those comments also attracted widespread criticism, with FFF president Philippe Diallo condemning them as racist and contrary to the values of football, adding that such statements had tarnished Chilavert’s legacy.