Prateek Tanmay
France captain Kylian Mbappe has strongly condemned a racist attack by Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla, calling her a “despicable woman” after she targeted him on social media following Paraguay’s World Cup exit.
The controversy erupted after France edged Paraguay 1-0 in a tense and physical Round of 16 encounter in Philadelphia on Saturday. Mbappe’s penalty sealed the victory and booked France’s place in the quarter-finals.
Following the defeat, Amarilla posted a lengthy message on X in which she launched a racist tirade against Mbappe. She referred to him as a “colonised Cameroonian, desperately trying to pass himself off as French” and described him as a “brute” who had allegedly never learned to write.
She also suggested that Paraguay’s players should have slapped the French forward after the match.
‘An incompetent woman’
Mbappe addressed the remarks directly in a strongly worded statement on X, defending both himself and Paraguay’s national team.
“Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position. You do not represent Paraguay, that country which has sweated passion and honour throughout the competition,” he wrote.
“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, making way for an incompetent woman who gives the worst possible image of her country.”
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“I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world.”
Madame Celeste Amarilla,
Vous êtes une femme méprisable et indigne de sa fonction.
Vous ne représentez pas le Paraguay, ce pays qui a transpiré la passion et l’honneur tout au long de la compétition. Par votre inconscience et votre racisme décomplexé, le monde entier a déjà… pic.twitter.com/EnYmgQXvPL— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) July 6, 2026
‘You’re a star, Kiki’
His response rapidly gained traction online, attracting more than 50 million views and sparking widespread discussion. Many also condemned the senator’s language and questioned her conduct as a public official.
Thousands of users voiced support for the French star in the comments section.
“Kylian, the Paraguayan people are noble, humble, and kind. You have to go so you can experience how they welcome the foreigner. You’ll feel right at home. This lady doesn’t even deserve to be mentioned. Hopefully soon, when you run into Orlando Gill again in Europe, you can chat and smooth over any rough edges. I know you’ll embrace each other and recognize one another, as it should be. You’re a star, Kiki,” one user wrote.
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“She is soo shameless and doesn’t deserve to hold any position in her country. But it is soo sad South Americans are known for their racism,” another commented.
“We are living in dangerous times for real like what is this??!?!?” A third user wrote.
‘Criminal and reprehensible’
The incident has also prompted a response from the French Football Federation (FFF), which announced plans to file a criminal complaint over Amarilla’s comments.
“These remarks are criminal and reprehensible. They must be prosecuted here as elsewhere. The FFF is reporting the matter to the public prosecutor’s office with a view to legal proceedings,” the federation said.
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“These remarks bring shame upon those who make them and those who disseminate them. The players of the French national team represent France; it is our country that is being insulted.”
COMMUNIQUÉ DE LA FFF :
Les propos racistes de la Sénatrice paraguayenne Celeste Amarilla visant Kylian Mbappé sont totalement abjects et inacceptables. Comment peut-on tenir un tel discours ? Ces propos sont délictueux et condamnables. Ils doivent être poursuivis ici comme… pic.twitter.com/AMVDvfrrYD
— FFF (@FFF) July 6, 2026
Paraguay’s government also publicly rejected Amarilla’s statements, stressing that they reflected her personal views, not those of the country.
In an official statement, the government said it “deplores and rejects the statements” made by the senator, describing them as “contrary to the values and principles that inspire peaceful coexistence and respect for human dignity that our country promotes.”
It added that Amarilla’s remarks “correspond exclusively to the exercise of her individual responsibility as a member of the Legislative Branch and in no way represent the position of the Government of the Republic of Paraguay or the Paraguayan people.”
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Paraguayan President Santiago Pena also wrote to French President Emmanuel Macron, expressing solidarity and condemning the senator’s comments.
