Rabat – A Paraguayan senator has sparked widespread backlash after posting a series of insulting remarks targeting France captain Kylian Mbappe following Paraguay’s Round of 16 elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
France secured a narrow 1-0 victory to book a quarterfinal meeting with Morocco, but attention in Paraguay quickly shifted away from the match itself after Senator Celeste Amarilla published a highly controversial message on social media.
Amarilla accused Mbappe of showing poor sportsmanship after the final whistle after he allegedly did not shake hands with Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gil.
“This brute hasn’t even learned to write,” the senator wrote in one of several posts directed at the French star.
The comments rapidly spread online and drew criticism for both their tone and personal nature.
Amarilla later escalated the controversy with additional remarks in which she described Mbappe as “a colonized Cameroonian pretending to be French,” while also attacking his appearance and personality.
“The only thing many of us blame Albirroja for is not giving him a slap in the face at the end of the match,” she added.
The statements triggered strong reactions across social media platforms, where many users condemned the remarks as racist, xenophobic, and unacceptable from a public official. Others called on the senator to issue a public apology.
So far, neither the Paraguayan Football Association nor FIFA has issued an official statement regarding Amarilla’s comments. Mbappé has also not publicly responded.
France will now turn its attention to a highly anticipated quarterfinal clash against Morocco, while the fallout from Paraguay’s elimination continues to dominate discussion online.
