Mbappe criticizes racism with Paraguay’s Amarilla at World Cup: What we know | Football News

The narrator

African footballers are often subjected to racist abuse both on and off the pitch.

French footballer Kylian Mbappe has responded to a Paraguayan senator for his comments over the weekend regarding Paraguay’s World Cup defeat to France.

Celeste Amarilla, a senator from the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, made several protests against Mbappe after Paraguay’s 0-1 defeat in the round of 16, due to a penalty won by the French captain.

Recommended Articles

list of 4 itemsend of series

In a series of racist comments posted on X and aimed at the French striker on Saturday, Amarilla mocked his Cameroonian roots, as well as his upbringing, looks and education.

Following Monday’s late return, Amarilla wrote an open letter in French and Spanish to Mbappe, saying he had retracted his post and regretted the “insult” he had received as a person of color.

However, he also accused Mbappe of “gender-based violence” in response to his insult and demanded an apology and threatened to take action.

Before Saturday’s game, former Paraguayan goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert called the French team “a team from Africa”.

Earlier on Monday, Mbappe responded to the senator’s initial comments in a post on Twitter.

“Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position,” the footballer wrote in a letter that included a photo of the senator.

In words, hundreds of Mbappe’s fans also looked at Amarilla.

“You do not represent Paraguay, a country that has been sweating with honor throughout the tournament. Because of your indifference and your indiscriminate prejudice, the whole world has already forgotten the journey and effort that your players made during the World Cup, making way for a foolish woman who gives the worst image of her country.

How have others responded?

French politicians spoke out in support of Mbappe and criticized Amarilla’s comments.

President Emmanuel Macron, who is currently on his way to Syria, supported the player’s response to the insult. “Another goal for Kylian Mbappé. This time against racism,” Macron wrote on X, adding that the captain had “full support”.

French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari wrote on X: “Looking at Kylian Mbappé, the senator is attacking everything our captain has and everything our country stands for: freedom, equality and brotherhood.”

“In three words, it’s disgusting, disgusting, disgusting,” France deputy coach Guy Stephan said.

Racism has been a scourge that football has struggled with, from fans in stadiums to politics – including football politics.

Footballers from Africa are especially watched by fans. Abuse has also come from fellow players at times. In the age of social media, football players are at risk of cyberbullying. Here are some well-known cases over the years:

• Dani Alves: In 2014, a fan threw a banana at an Afro-Brazilian defender during a La Liga match in Spain. Alves’ response was to calmly pick up the banana and eat it before continuing the match. However, the fan came under fire online, and the incident sparked an anti-racism campaign on social media.
• Romelu Lukaku: The Belgian player who plays for SSC Napoli in Italy’s Serie A has faced many racist incidents in his career. Rival fans will often slur or make monkey-like noises when they appear. In April 2023, while playing for Inter Milan against Juventus, some of the crowd shouted at him and made monkey noises. However, Lukaku was stopped for celebrating with a thumb up to his lips, stopping the crowd after earning a penalty minute. The referee said Lukaku had “enraged” the crowd. His suspension was later overturned, and Juventus were hit with a competitive ban.
• Vinicius Junior: In May 2023, the Real Madrid and Brazil forward was confronted by fans who booed him at the Mestalla stadium in Valencia. The move led to many criminal charges, and eventually, the perpetrators were sentenced to prison. But it was one of the many times Vinicius was fired to complain about racist abuse. Once, a black mannequin with his shirt on was hung from a bridge. Most recently, in February 2026, he reported a conflict between Gianluca Prestianni of Benfica, which led to a 10-minute stoppage in the top Champions League game. Although Prestianni denied the claims, Vinicius’ teammates, including Mbappe, supported him a lot. Prestianni was allowed to play six games after being investigated for homophobia. This prompted the International Football Association Board to introduce a new policy ahead of the World Cup: players who cover their mouths while talking to opponents will now face a red card.
• Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho: England players who are of Caribbean or African descent have faced racist abuse online after missing a penalty in the England-Italy final of the UEFA Euro 2020 Championships. British authorities investigated the case, and at least 11 people were arrested.