France national team striker Kylian Mbappe has responded to Paraguay senator Celeste Amarilla’s racist remarks, made in an X post on Monday, 6 July 2026.
The remark came after Paraguay was eliminated by the French team in the Round of 16 of the World Cup, following a tense 1-0 win for France on Saturday, 4 July 2026.
In a now-deleted X post, Amarilla called Mbappe a “A colonised Cameroonian pretending hard to be French, resentful, newly rich, arrogant and ugly” who won by a fluke.
The French footballer responded to her on X, translated from French to English, calling her a “despicable woman” unworthy of her position.
“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,” Mbappe wrote.
He further stated that her “brazen” racism has caused the world to forget the performance and effort displayed by the Paraguayan players in the World Cup.
“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.”
The French Football Federation (FFF) announced that it will file a report with the prosecutor’s office, describing her actions as “criminal and unacceptable”.
“These remarks are criminal and reprehensible. They must be prosecuted here as elsewhere. 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,” the FFF stated.
The Paraguay government called out Amarilla’s remarks as “contrary to the values that inspire peaceful coexistence”.
“They in no way represent the position of the government of the Republic of Paraguay or the Paraguayan people,” the government said, adding that Amarilla’s statements reflect her individual responsibility as a legislator alone.
On the other hand, Real Madrid, the club Mbappe plays for, released a statement on 7 July 2026 condemning Amarilla’s comments as racist and xenophobic.
“Our club firmly condemns such statements, which are unbecoming of a political representative, and expresses its full support for our player Kylian Mbappe, who serves as a role model for millions of people, especially children around the world,” the statement read.
AMARILLA RESPONDS AMID BACKLASH
Amid the mounting backlash, Amarilla published an open letter expressing partial regret over her remarks. However, in the same letter, she accused Mbappe of “gender-based violence” in his response to her.
In their next upcoming match, France will face Morocco in the first quarterfinal in Foxborough on Thursday, 9 July 2026.
