The French Football Federation is filing a legal complaint against Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla after she posted racist remarks about Kylian Mbappe following France’s Round of 16 win over Paraguay. As detailed by BroBible, the match ended 1-0 in France’s favor on July 4 at Philadelphia Stadium, with Mbappe converting the game’s only goal from the penalty spot in the 70th minute.
The 61-year-old senator posted a series of remarks aimed at Mbappe on X after the result, comments that referenced his upbringing and heritage in derogatory terms and suggested Paraguayan players should have confronted him physically at the final whistle. The posts, which AOTF was unable to independently verify beyond what has been reported by outlets covering the fallout, drew immediate condemnation from French football officials.
The FFF called the remarks “criminal and reprehensible,” according to Al Jazeera, and confirmed it was filing a report with the prosecutor’s office to pursue judicial action. The federation said it would not stand by while one of its players was targeted in such a manner.
Mbappe wasn’t going to let the comments go unanswered
On July 6, Mbappe posted his own response directly addressing the senator, writing that Amarilla is “a despicable woman and unworthy of your position.” He added that she does not represent Paraguay, a country he said had shown passion and honor throughout the tournament.
He went on to argue that her remarks had overshadowed the achievements of the Paraguayan national team, saying her actions had left the world with an unfavorable impression of her country instead. Paraguay had advanced to face France after eliminating Germany on penalties in the previous round, a result that was celebrated widely across the country, amid scenes that even included prisoners and guards celebrating together at a police facility.
The FFF also said its support extended to all players and victims of similar remarks, noting that insulting a member of the France national team amounts to insulting the country itself. The federation added that such language reflects poorly on anyone who chooses to use or spread it.
The episode adds to a tournament that has already faced scrutiny over politics intersecting with the sport, amid separate reporting this week on Balogun’s red card reversal involving the U.S. men’s national team. Amarilla has not issued a public response to the backlash or to the legal action being taken against her. France is scheduled to face Morocco in the World Cup quarterfinals on Thursday in Boston.
Published: Jul 6, 2026 08:30 pm