France captain and Real Madrid player, Kylian Mbappé has responded after Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla made controversial remarks about his heritage following France’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Mbappé scored the only goal of the match from the penalty spot in Philadelphia on Saturday, helping France reach the quarter-finals and taking his tournament tally to seven goals.
Shortly after the match, Amarilla took to X, where she questioned Mbappé’s French nationality and referred to him as a “colonised Cameroonian”. She also directed a series of personal insults at the France captain and suggested Paraguay’s goalkeeper should have made an obscene gesture toward him during the game. 
Referring to the France captain, she wrote: “The brute didn’t even learn to write.”
She continued: “Instead of mother’s milk, he sucked on coconuts, and the most educated thing he heard was chimpanzees.”
Mbappé responded on social media, describing the senator as a “despicable woman” and questioning how someone with such views could hold public office. He also accused Amarilla of overshadowing the efforts of the Paraguayan national team with her comments.
Mbappé later responded on X, condemning the senator’s comments and questioning her fitness to hold public office.
“Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position,” he wrote.
“You do not represent Paraguay, that country which has sweated passion and honour throughout the competition.”
He added: “I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world.”
The French Football Federation condemned Amarilla’s comments and confirmed it would file a formal complaint with prosecutors. The federation described the remarks as discriminatory and said they targeted not only Mbappé but also the values represented by the French national team.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino also weighed in, saying football must remain “an inclusive and safe space for all”. The office of French President Emmanuel Macron expressed support for Mbappé, while the Paraguayan government distanced itself from Amarilla’s comments, saying they did not reflect the country’s values.
Amarilla later deleted the original post and published an open letter in French and Spanish.
She said her criticism was directed at Mbappé personally and not at France or the French people. She also said she regretted using the same kind of insults she claimed to have received as a mixed-race woman.
However, the senator did not offer an unconditional apology. Instead, she accused Mbappé of insulting her in return, demanded an apology from the France captain, and warned that she was considering legal action if he failed to retract his comments.
France now turn their attention to Thursday’s quarter-final against Morocco, while the dispute between Mbappé and the Paraguayan senator continues to draw reactions from both political leaders and football authorities.
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