Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla has escalated her bitter feud with the French captain Kylian Mbappelaunched a new verbal attack on the World Cup winner and refused to apologize for racist remarks that sparked widespread international condemnation.Paraguay’s opposition lawmaker, who earlier described Mbappe as a “colonized Cameroonian,” now called the Real Madrid forward a “son of ab***,” accusing him of disrespecting Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill after France’s 1-0 win in FIFA World Cup 16th round.The controversy has become one of the tournament’s biggest off-field talking points, with Mbappe, French authorities, FIFA and United Nations officials all weighing in as the war of words escalates ahead of France’s quarter-final clash with Morocco.
Amarilla doubled down on the explosive accusations
Speaking on the floor of the Senate, Amarilla showed no signs of backing down from his earlier statements, insisting that Mbappe deserved criticism for allegedly refusing to shake Gill’s hand after the final whistle.“When Orlando Gill, a boy who has certainly set foot in a World Cup for the first time, in Europe for the first time, plays in front of the world and extends his hand with all the humility of a Paraguayan, and this son of ab*** refuses to shake his hand and shouts in his face, that is not French.The senator contrasted Mbappe’s alleged behavior with what he described as France’s cultural heritage.“France is Rousseau, Descartes, Montesquieu, Victor Hugo, Simone de Beauvoir, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen. I refuse to reduce all the great France and that great cultural, artistic and democratic heritage to Mbappe,” he said.Amarilla also mocked the French superstar while pointing to an open letter he wrote in French and Spanish.“What should I say to Mbappe now? That he should read my letter. I wrote it in French and in Spanish. Let him read my letter, if he knows how to read.”He even warned the striker not to “trouble the Paraguayans,” requesting the 2020 detention of the Brazilian great. Ronaldinho in Paraguay before threatening legal action against Mbappe for what he described as gender and political violence.Meanwhile, Paraguayan President Santiago Pena distanced himself from the senator’s comments, reiterating that his government is against “all forms of discrimination” and remains committed to defending human rights and freedom of expression.
How the Mbappe-Amarilla conflict is brewing
The public clash started after France beat Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16.Shortly after the match, Amarilla sparked outrage by calling Mbappe a “colonized Cameroonian” who “pretends to be French,” while also describing him as “angry, nouveau riche, arrogant and ugly.” He even admitted France won “by a fluke” and said Mbappe and his team-mates seemed nervous throughout the contest.Mbappe hit back on social media, branding Amarilla “a despicable woman” who “doesn’t deserve her position,” prompting the senator to intensify his rhetoric rather than apologise.The French Football Federation, French President Emmanuel Macron and FIFA President Gianni Infantino all condemned Amarilla’s original comments, while the United Nations Human Rights Office described them as “racist and dehumanising,” urging governments, sports bodies and public officials to take stronger action against racism and hate speech in the game.
“Kylian is in a good place mentally”
Despite the growing controversy, France coach Didier Deschamps insisted the issue had not affected his captain ahead of the quarter-finals.“Kylian is in a good place mentally. He will be ready for tomorrow,” said Deschamps, explaining that Mbappe remains focused on France’s quest for another World Cup title despite the storm brewing from the pitch.