Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla has refused to apologise for making racist remarks about France captain Kylian Mbappé following Paraguay’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The controversy erupted after France defeated Paraguay in the Round of 16, with Mbappé scoring a penalty to help his side secure victory and advance to a quarter-final clash against Morocco.
After the final whistle, Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill attempted to shake Mbappé’s hand, but the French forward appeared to ignore the gesture, prompting Amarilla to post racially offensive comments about the player on social media.
The remarks drew widespread condemnation from the Paraguayan government, the French Football Federation, the European Union and Mbappé himself, with many calling on the senator to apologise.
Although Amarilla admitted her comments were racist and deleted the post, she insisted she would not apologise.
She said her reaction was prompted by what she viewed as Mbappé’s unsporting behaviour and argued that her upbringing influenced the language she used, while acknowledging she is trying to change.
Despite the backlash, the senator maintained that she would not bow to public pressure to issue a formal apology.
The incident has reignited discussions about racism in football and the responsibility of public officials to promote respectful and inclusive discourse.
