The French Football Federation (FFF) has announced it will file criminal charges against Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla after she launched a racist tirade against France captain Kylian Mbappé on social media platform X. The attack came immediately following France’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the FIFA World Cup on Saturday, a result that secured the defending champions’ place in the quarter-finals.
Mbappé, who converted the decisive penalty in Philadelphia, found himself targeted by Amarilla shortly after the final whistle. In a lengthy post on X, the politician described the striker as a “colonised Cameroonian” attempting to present himself as French, and labelled him a “brute” who had not learned to write. She further suggested that Paraguay’s players should have physically assaulted the forward after the match.
Strong Denunciations
Mbappé issued a detailed statement condemning both the remarks and the senator personally. “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.”
The France captain defended not only himself but also the Paraguayan players, noting that Amarilla’s comments had overshadowed their historic World Cup campaign. “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,” he stated. “I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world.”
Federation Escalates Matter
The FFF moved swiftly to escalate the matter beyond sporting channels, announcing plans to report the incident to the public prosecutor’s office with a view to legal proceedings. In a statement, the federation described Amarilla’s comments as “utterly abhorrent and unacceptable”.
“These remarks are criminal and reprehensible,” the federation stated. “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.”
Tournament Fallout
The controversy has marred what had been a significant result for Didier Deschamps’ side. Mbappé’s spot-kick proved the difference in an ill-tempered affair in Philadelphia, sending France through to the last eight of the competition and keeping alive their hopes of defending the title they won four years ago.
Paraguay exit the tournament despite a spirited campaign that had seen them reach the knockout stages. As Mbappé noted in his response, the players’ efforts risk being forgotten amid the political fallout from their compatriot’s remarks.