France secured a place in the World Cup quarter‑finals after a narrow victory over Paraguay, extending their run in the tournament and setting up a clash with Morocco.
The triumph was quickly followed by a backlash from Paraguayan political figure Celeste Amarilla, who posted a scathing comment on social media targeting French forward Kylian Mbappé. The remarks, which included racist language and demeaning references, sparked widespread condemnation.
Amarilla’s statement called Mbappé “brute” and suggested he had been raised by “chimpanzees,” adding that the player’s education consisted only of “coconuts.” The comments were widely viewed as an affront to the athlete and to the spirit of international competition.
In response, Mbappé issued a forceful rebuttal, labeling Amarilla a “despicable woman” and asserting that her remarks tarnished Paraguay’s achievements and projected a negative image of the country. He demanded that such hatred not be allowed to spread.
Earlier in the tournament, former Paraguay goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert had made racist remarks before the match against France. The French Football Federation condemned his comments as a disgrace and as undermining the values of respect and diversity in sport.
France’s next match is set for Thursday night against Morocco, with the winner of that encounter advancing to face one of Portugal, Spain, Belgium or the United States in the quarter‑finals.
Mbappé remains the joint top scorer of the tournament, sharing the honor with Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi, after netting seven goals in five appearances for the French national team.
