Mbappe condemns racist posts from Paraguay senator
France forward Kylian Mbappe has strongly condemned a Paraguayan senator for making racist remarks mocking his origin and education following Paraguay's defeat by France in the last 16 of the World Cup.
Mbappe, who scored two goals in earlier fixtures against Senegal, Iraq, and Sweden before netting a penalty against Paraguay, responded directly to the senator's comments.
"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.
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.
I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world."
Celeste Amarilla, a member of Paraguay's Liberal Radical Party, posted the offensive remarks on social media platform X following the match.
The French Football Federation (FFF) has announced plans to file criminal charges against Amarilla, describing her remarks as "utterly abhorrent and unacceptable."
"These remarks are criminal and reprehensible. They must be prosecuted here as elsewhere. The FFF is reporting the matter to the public prosecutor's office with a view to legal proceedings.
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."
Mbappe's penalty secured France's victory in the second half of the match, setting up a quarter-final clash against Morocco in Boston on Thursday.
With seven goals in the tournament, Mbappe is currently the joint top scorer alongside Argentina's Lionel Messi and Norway's Erling Haaland.
Amarilla's comments come after former Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert made controversial remarks prior to the match, referring to the French team as "a squad from Africa."
These comments also drew condemnation from FFF president Philippe Diallo.
"I condemn in the strongest possible terms the racist remarks made by Jose Luis Chilavert against the French national team, which undermine the values of respect, fraternity, and diversity in our football," Diallo said.
"If he was once a great goalkeeper, this man has now fallen into disgrace."
