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Rabat – Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla has demanded an apology from Kylian Mbappe and threatened legal action against the France captain after he condemned her racist remarks following France’s 2026 FIFA World Cup win over Paraguay.
The controversy began after France beat Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16, with Mbappe scoring the decisive penalty that sent Les Bleus into the quarterfinals.
After the match, Amarilla posted a series of racist comments on social media targeting Mbappe’s origins, upbringing, appearance, and education.
The comments quickly sparked anger in France and Paraguay.
Mbappe responds strongly
Mbappe responded publicly on X, calling Amarilla “despicable” and “unworthy” of her position.
He also said she did not represent Paraguay, hailing the country’s players for their passion and effort during the World Cup.
Mbappe accused the senator of distracting attention from Paraguay’s historic tournament run.
“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,” he wrote.
France’s captain also said he would not allow people like her to spread hatred and racism.
Amarilla demands an apology
Amarilla later deleted her posts and issued an open letter in French and Spanish.
In the letter, she said she regretted using insults that she claimed she had also suffered as a mixed-race woman. But she did not fully back down.
Instead, she demanded that Mbappe retract his comments and apologize to her.
She also accused him of gender-based violence and threatened legal action if he did not withdraw his response.
The Associated Press reported that Amarilla said her problem was with Mbappe, not France as a country.
France files complaint
The French Football Federation (FFF) strongly condemned Amarilla’s remarks.
The FFF described the comments as “unacceptable” and said it would refer the matter to prosecutors.
French prosecutors have opened an investigation after the FFF filed a complaint with the national unit for combating online hate.
The Paris prosecutor’s office is examining possible charges, including aggravated public insult or incitement to hatred or violence.
The Guardian reported that the alleged offenses could carry up to one year in prison and a €45,000 fine under French law.
Paraguay distances itself
The Paraguayan government also distanced itself from Amarilla’s comments.
In a statement, the government said the senator’s remarks were contrary to the values of peaceful coexistence and respect for human dignity.
It added that her comments did not represent the Paraguayan government or the Paraguayan people.
French President Emmanuel Macron also voiced support for Mbappe, saying the player had scored “one more goal” against racism.
France’s Sports Minister Marina Ferrari said Amarilla’s comments attacked what Mbappe represents and what France stands for.
The row came after another controversy involving Paraguayan football figure Jose Luis Chilavert.
Before the France-Paraguay match, the former goalkeeper referred to France as “a squad from Africa,” a comment that also drew criticism from French football officials.
The controversy has now followed France into their quarterfinal against Morocco.
Mbappe remains one of France’s key players before the match, but the racism row has become a major off-field story around Les Bleus’ World Cup campaign.
