French captain Kylian Mbappé has strongly condemned racist comments made by Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla, describing her as "despicable" and "unworthy" of holding public office.
In a statement posted on X following France's World Cup victory over Paraguay, Mbappé accused Amarilla of tarnishing her country's image with what he called "recklessness and brazen racism."
"Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position," Mbappé wrote.
"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."
The France forward concluded his message by vowing to challenge hate speech, saying: "I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world."
Mbappé's response came after Amarilla launched a personal attack against the French star following Paraguay's World Cup elimination, using a series of racist insults and derogatory remarks targeting his ethnicity, appearance and background.
Among her comments, the senator referred to Mbappé as "a colonized Cameroonian pretending to be French" and made additional offensive remarks about his upbringing. She also criticized France's performance and suggested Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill should have insulted Mbappé during the match.
The senator's comments have sparked widespread criticism on social media, with many users condemning them as racist and incompatible with the responsibilities of an elected official.
Mbappé has been one of the standout performers at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, helping France reach the quarter-finals, where Les Bleus will face Morocco.
