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Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla has demanded an apology from French footballer Kylian Mbappé after he described her as “despicable” and “unworthy” of her office over racist remarks she made following France’s World Cup victory over Paraguay.
The dispute began after France defeated Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Following the match, Amarilla posted a series of racist remarks about Mbappé on social media, reportedly referring to him as a “colonised Cameroonian”, mocking his appearance and intelligence, questioning his French identity, and suggesting Paraguay’s players should have slapped him after the game.
The remarks drew widespread condemnation from French officials, including President Emmanuel Macron. His office said Paraguayan President Santiago Peña had written to express solidarity with France and condemn the senator’s racist comments.
Responding on Monday, Mbappé criticised Amarilla in a post on X.
“Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position. You do not represent Paraguay, a country that 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 your players achieved during this World Cup, making way for an incompetent woman who presents the worst possible image of her country.”
On Monday night, Amarilla published an open letter demanding an apology from Mbappé.
“The idiot didn’t even learn to write. Instead of drinking his mother’s milk, he was sucking on coconuts,” she wrote, referring to the France captain.
Amarilla also claimed France “won by a fluke” and said Mbappé had been “nervous and scared to death the whole match, like his entire team”.
She said she had deleted her earlier social media post after reconsidering its language but maintained that Mbappé should apologise for his response. She added that her disagreement was with the footballer personally, not with France.
According to Amarilla, her initial comments were prompted by what she considered Mbappé’s arrogance before and during the match, particularly his alleged refusal to shake hands with Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill after the final whistle.
“You displayed your contempt, your arrogance and your poor manners in a single second. It hurt me, and it hurt my entire country, deeply,” she wrote.
“France should hold you accountable, because it is a nation of knights, with centuries of history and expertise. France should hold you accountable for your behaviour.”
The French Football Federation has announced plans to file a criminal complaint, describing Amarilla’s remarks as “utterly abhorrent and unacceptable”.
In a separate statement, Paraguay’s foreign ministry distanced the government from the senator’s comments, saying they “are contrary to the values and principles that inspire peaceful coexistence and respect for human dignity, which our country promotes.”
