France star Kylian Mbappé on Monday spoke out against racist comments made by a Paraguay senator.
Mbappé posted a message on his X account this Monday branding the senator, Celeste Amarilla, a “despicable woman unworthy of her office.”
The French Football Federation (FFF) also issued a statement Monday, calling the politician’s comments “racist” and “utterly abhorrent and unacceptable” while also saying they would take judicial action.
On Saturday in the World Cup round of 16, Mbappé broke through against a physical, defensive-minded Paraguay side when he converted a penalty kick in the 70th minute, lifting France to a gritty 1-0 World Cup win.
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“We knew what kind of match we were going to have,” Mbappé said about the victory. “We can also get our hands dirty, we know how to do it. We know how to play ugly football. Guess they were thinking we were going to show up in tuxedos, but we were ready.”
Amarilla, in two social media posts, launched a vicious personal attack against the Real Madrid forward, calling him “stupid” and criticizing him for allegedly refusing to shake hands with Orlando Gill, Paraguay’s goalkeeper. She also advised Gill that he “should have given [Mbappé] the middle finger.”
Mbappé wrote: “You are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position. You do not represent Paraguay, that country which has sweated passion and honor throughout the competition.
“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.
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“I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world.”
The FFF statement said: “The racist remarks by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla targeting Kylian Mbappé are utterly abhorrent and unacceptable.”
Paraguay Vice President Pedro Alliana deplored Amarilla’s remarks, saying: “Football is an expression of brotherhood. It should united countries and people. Within the passions and emotions of its realm, there is no room for any form of discrimination.”
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Paraguay congresswoman Johanna Ortega was critical of Amarilla, saying of the France-Paraguay match: “On the field, we are adversaries, but off it, we are united by far more: respect, dignity, and the pursuit of equality among all people. As a member of the Paraguayan Congress, my solidarity and my apologies to the French people.”
Mbappé has seven goals for France, placing him alongside Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland in the current lead for the World Cup’s goalscoring race.
On July 9, France will take on Morocco in the quarterfinals.
