Kylian Mbappe condemns 'despicable' racist remarks made by Paraguayan senator

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FT Desk

Kylian Mbappe has hit back at a Paraguayan senator after she made racist remarks towards the player about his ethnic origin and level of education.

Celeste Amarilla of Paraguay's Liberal Radical Party posted her comments on X following France's 1-0 World Cup victory against Paraguay, in which Mbappe scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot.

It was an extremely fiery affair and the South American side were accused by many of using the 'dark arts' to get through the fixture, such as heavy tackling but also going down too easily themselves.

Mbappe was the victim of some overzealous tackles but he largely went through proceedings with a smile on his face and couldn't help himself celebrating near some of the Paraguay players when the final whistle went.

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

Goalkeeper Orlando Gill was ignored a handshake, for example.

"You should've given him the middle finger, Orlando Gill," was among Amarilla's softer comments.

Mbappe responded to the senator on X, saying:

"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.

"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.

"I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world."

The French Football Federation (FFF) has confirmed it intends to pursue legal action against Amarilla, stating that his comments were "completely unacceptable" and deeply offensive.

A FFF statement said: "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.

"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."

Amarilla's comments came after former Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert said in the build-up to the Round of 16 fixture that his team were facing "a squad from Africa".

FFF president Philippe Diallo called Chilavert a "disgrace".

Mbappe received support from France president Emmanuel Macron, who posted: "Another goal for Kylian Mbappe. Against racism this time. All my support. When words defile, our values respond: dignity, respect, fraternity."

The Real Madrid striker now has seven goals in the World Cup and is joint top-scorer alongside Argentina's Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland of Norway.

France will next play Morocco in the quarter-final stage.