A disgraceful incident marred the 2026 World Cup following the round of 16 match between France and Paraguay. Les Bleus' star striker, Kylian Mbappé, publicly hit back at senior Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla after the politician made racist statements attacking his background and education.
Mbappé's outrage began when Amarilla, a figure from Paraguay's Authentic Radical Liberal Party, posted a provocative comment on social media right after her country's defeat to France. Refusing to remain silent, the Real Madrid forward responded through his official account, labeling Amarilla as someone who does not reflect the dignity of a public official.
"Mrs. Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of holding your current position. You do not represent Paraguay, a country that fought with honor in this competition," Mbappé stated firmly.
In his further statement, Mbappé expressed regret over Amarilla's attitude, which he felt overshadowed the hard work of Paraguayan players on the pitch. To him, such racist actions reflect an official's inability to maintain their country's dignity in the eyes of the international community. He emphasized that he would not let such hatred slide unchecked.
This incident has drawn sharp attention amid the ongoing tournament. Mbappé himself played the hero in France's victory with a crucial penalty execution that secured their advance to the quarterfinals against Morocco. The goal also solidified Mbappé's position at the top of the temporary top scorers list with a total of seven goals.
This tension adds to a grim record of verbal attacks during the tournament. Previously, legendary former Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert also drew widespread condemnation after making racist comments calling the French national team a "squad from Africa". French Football Federation (FFF) President Philippe Diallo strongly condemned Chilavert, calling such attitudes an act that damages the values of sportsmanship and diversity in football.
