France captain Kylian Mbappé has launched a scathing response to a Paraguayan senator after she made racist comments about him following France’s victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Real Madrid star described Senator Celeste Amarilla as “despicable” and said she was “not worthy” of holding public office, accusing her of tarnishing Paraguay’s image with racist remarks that sparked international condemnation.
The controversy erupted after France edged Paraguay 1-0 in a fiercely contested last-16 encounter in Philadelphia on Saturday. Mbappé scored the match-winning goal from the penalty spot in the second half, sending Les Bleus into the quarter-finals, where they will face Morocco.
In a strongly worded post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, Mbappé hit back at Amarilla, saying she had failed to represent the values of her country.
“Mrs Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and not worthy of your position.
“You do not represent Paraguay, the country that has sweated passion and honour throughout the competition.
“Through your lack of awareness and your uninhibited racism, the entire world has already forgotten your team’s run and historic effort at this World Cup.”
Amarilla had earlier posted a series of remarks attacking the France captain, referring to him as a “colonised Cameroonian” while questioning his French identity. She also described the 27-year-old forward as “embittered, nouveau riche, arrogant and ugly” and claimed he looked “scared to death” during the match.
Her comments immediately triggered widespread backlash from football fans, anti-racism advocates and public officials, with many describing the statements as offensive, discriminatory and unbecoming of an elected representative.
Among those to condemn the remarks was French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari, who described the senator’s comments as “abject, disgraceful and all the more unacceptable coming from a politician.”
Mbappé, whose father is originally from Cameroon and whose mother has Algerian roots, has long been a symbol of France’s multicultural identity. Throughout his career, he has repeatedly spoken against racism and discrimination in football while using his global platform to promote equality and respect.
The latest incident has once again highlighted the persistent challenge of racism in world football, despite repeated campaigns by FIFA, national football associations and anti-discrimination organisations to eradicate abuse directed at players because of their race or ethnic background.
Support for Mbappé poured in across social media, with many users praising the French captain for responding firmly and defending both his heritage and the values of inclusion in sport. Others criticised the senator’s remarks, saying they overshadowed Paraguay’s impressive World Cup campaign.
France will now shift its focus to Thursday’s quarter-final showdown against Morocco as Didier Deschamps’ side continues its pursuit of a second World Cup title in three tournaments.
The exchange between Mbappé and the Paraguayan lawmaker has become one of the biggest talking points of the tournament, reigniting global conversations about racism, identity and respect in football.
