French footballer Kylian Mbappe has hit back at a Paraguayan senator over racist remarks she made over the weekend in connection with Paraguay’s defeat in the World Cup by France.
Celeste Amarilla, a senator from the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, had taken several jabs at Mbappe after Paraguay’s 0-1 loss in the round of 16, thanks to the French captain’s winning penalty.
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, appearance and education.
Following backlash late on Monday, Amarilla posted an open letter in French and Spanish addressing Mbappe, saying she had deleted her posts and that she regretted using “the same insults” she herself has received as a mixed-race person.
However, she also accused Mbappe of “gender-based violence” against her in his response to her insults and has demanded an apology and threatened legal action.
In advance of Saturday’s match, former Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert referred to France’s team as “a squad from Africa”.
Early on Monday, Mbappe hit back at 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 post that included the senator’s photo.
In the comments, hundreds of Mbappe fans also took aim at Amarilla.
“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. I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world,” Mbappe added.
Politicians in France spoke out in support of Mbappe and condemned Amarilla’s remarks.
President Emmanuel Macron, currently visiting Syria, backed the footballer’s response to the insults. “One more goal for Kylian Mbappé. This time against racism,” Macron posted on X, adding that the captain had his “full support”.
French Sports Minister Marina Ferrari wrote on X: “By targeting Kylian Mbappé, the senator is attacking everything our captain embodies and everything our country stands for: liberty, equality and fraternity.”
“In three words, it’s indignant, abject, scandalous,” France assistant coach Guy Stephan said.
Racism has long been a stain that football has had to grapple with, both from fans in stadiums and from the realms of politics – including football politics.
Footballers of African descent have particularly been targeted by fans. Abuse has also come from fellow players at times. In the age of social media, footballers are even more vulnerable to online abuse. Here are a few well-known cases through the years:
