World football governing body FIFA and French President Emmanuel Macron have strongly condemned racist comments directed at Kylian Mbappé by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla following the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In a post on X, Macron described Amarilla’s remarks as “racist attacks” against the France captain and reiterated France’s unwavering support for the star forward.
Macron praised Mbappé’s response, stating that when offensive words threaten shared values, society must stand firm for dignity, respect, and unity.
Meanwhile, FIFA President Gianni Infantino also condemned the comments, emphasizing that football must continue to stand together in rejecting racism in all forms.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, has expressed solidarity with France captain Kylian Mbappé, condemning racist remarks directed at the forward and urging the football community and society to unite in the fight against racism.
Infantino made the statement in an Instagram post following backlash over comments made by Amarilla after France’s victory against Paraguay national football team in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The controversy emerged after Mbappé scored the decisive penalty that secured France’s place in the quarter-finals and ended Paraguay’s World Cup campaign.
The tense encounter spilled into a brief altercation after the final whistle, with videos appearing to show Mbappé walking past an attempted handshake from Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill, who then hurled the ball at the French forward.
“I tried to shake his hand, but he ignored me, and I lost my temper,” Gill said after the match.
Responding to a video in which Gill recounted the encounter, Amarilla referred to Mbappé as “a colonised Cameroonian who has really pretended to be French.”
She further wrote, “The brute didn’t even learn to write; instead of mother’s milk, he sucked on coconuts, and the most educated thing he heard was chimpanzees,” adding that Gill should have shown the France forward “the finger.”
Amarilla went on to describe Mbappé as a “colonised Cameroonian, pretending hard to be French, resentful, newly rich, arrogant, and ugly,” while also alleging that he appeared “nervous and scared to death” throughout the match.
Mbappé had earlier fired back at the comments on his verified X account, branding Amarilla as “a despicable woman” who was undeserving of her position and alleging that her remarks were driven by racism.
“Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position. You do not represent Paraguay, a nation that has displayed passion and honour throughout this competition,” Mbappé wrote.
He further stated, “Because of your reckless conduct and blatant racism, the world has shifted its attention away from the remarkable journey and historic achievement your players recorded at this World Cup, replacing it with the image of an incompetent woman who portrays her country in the worst possible light.
“I will never allow individuals like her to freely spread hatred and racism across the world.”
Mbappé was born in Paris to a Cameroonian father and a French-Algerian mother. Comments questioning the nationality of French players with African heritage have repeatedly been criticised as racist and discriminatory.
