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France captain Kylian Mbappe has strongly condemned racist remarks made by a Paraguayan senator following his country’s victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, describing the lawmaker as “despicable” and unworthy of public office.
Mbappe responded on Monday after Senator Celeste Amarilla launched a series of offensive posts on social media following France’s 1-0 victory in Philadelphia on Saturday, a fiercely contested encounter that secured Les Bleus a place in the quarter-finals.
In a statement posted on X, the Real Madrid forward criticised the senator’s conduct and said her comments did not reflect the values of the Paraguayan people.
“Mrs Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and not worthy of your position,” Mbappe wrote.
“You do not represent Paraguay, the country that has shown passion and honour throughout this competition. Through your ignorance and uninhibited racism, the world has already forgotten your team’s remarkable World Cup journey.”
The controversy erupted after Amarilla allegedly directed racist insults at the French captain, referring to him in derogatory terms while questioning his French identity and accusing him of being intimidated during the match.
The remarks triggered widespread condemnation in France, with Sports Minister Marina Ferrari describing them as “abject and disgraceful”, adding that such comments were especially unacceptable coming from an elected public official.
Mbappe, whose father is of Cameroonian origin and whose mother has Algerian roots, scored the decisive goal from the penalty spot in the second half to send France into the last eight.
The victory sets up a quarter-final clash against Morocco on Thursday as France continue their pursuit of a third FIFA World Cup title.
The incident has once again brought the issue of racism in football into sharp focus, with growing calls for stronger action against discriminatory behaviour by public figures and supporters alike.
