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Kylian Mbappé, captain of the French national team, has publicly condemned a Paraguayan senator for making racist comments directed at him following a tense match where France triumphed over Paraguay 1-0 in Philadelphia, securing their place in the quarter-finals.
In a lengthy post on X, Senator Celeste Amarilla referred to Mbappé as a “colonised Cameroonian, desperately trying to pass himself off as French” and criticized him as a “brute who had not learned to write” She further suggested that Paraguay’s players should have physically confronted him post-match.
In response, Mbappé issued a strong statement not only defending himself but also the players from Paraguay.
“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,”
He continued, denouncing Amarilla’s remarks:
“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.“ The French Football Federation (FFF) escalated the matter, announcing plans to file criminal charges, 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.”
