Kylian Mbappe has condemned a Paraguayan senator for what he called “brazen racism,” branding her “despicable” after she posted a remarkable attack on the France captain in the wake of Paraguay’s World Cup exit.
The Real Madrid striker converted the decisive penalty after half-time as France edged Paraguay 1-0 in Philadelphia on Saturday, though the last-16 meeting was overshadowed by the underdogs’ cynical and confrontational approach.
Facing one of the favourites to win the tournament, Paraguay appeared intent on disrupting France at every opportunity, committing repeated fouls, exaggerating injuries and attempting to unsettle Les Bleus with an especially combative style.
Now, the fallout from Paraguay’s controversial elimination has escalated further after senator Celeste Amarilla directed a vicious social media tirade at the French skipper.
Following Mbappe’s refusal to shake hands with Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill, Amarilla wrote: “This brute hasn’t even learned to write,” before adding racist insults aimed at the superstar.
“You should’ve shown him the finger, Orlando Gill; I do it in the senate and nothing happens!!!” she added.
France captain Kylian Mbappe has accused a Paraguayan senator of “brazen racism”
Paraguay senator Celeste Amarilla posted a remarkable social media attack on Mbappe
She also wrote in a separate post, that Mbappe was ‘pretending hard to be French, resentful, newly rich, arrogant, and ugly.
‘He was nervous and scared to death the whole match, like his entire team; they couldn’t even score a goal, they won by a fluke…
‘The only thing many of us demanded of the Albirroja is not to have slapped him open-handed after the match ended. And that’s despite not being a soccer fan.’
Mbappe furiously responded to her astonishing tirade with his own statement on Monday, which read: ‘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 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.’
French Football Federation president Philippe Diallo also threw his support behind Mbappe and posted: ‘The racist remarks by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla targeting Kylian Mbappe are criminal and reprehensible.
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‘They must be prosecuted here as elsewhere. The FFF is filing a report with the prosecutor’s office for the purpose of judicial proceedings.
Mbappe labelled her ‘despicable’ in a furious statement as he responsed on social media
Paraguay’s dirty tactics overshadowed France’s 1-0 win in the round of 16 on Saturday
Mbappe and Co were able to keep their cool in the face of relentless provocation
‘I offer my full support to our captain, to the players, and more generally to all the victims of such odious remarks. The players of the French national team represent France; it is our country that is insulted.’
Paraguay’s dirty tactics included various incidents during the match, from scuffing up the penalty spot, elbowing Dayot Upamecano in the ribs, palming Jules Kounde‘s face, trying to get Michael Olise sent off with outrageous play-acting and somehow ending up without a single booking from Uzbekistani referee Ilgiz Tantashev.
After the tempestuous match, BBC pundit Joe Hart branded Paraguay’s players ‘an absolute disgrace’, while French newspaper L’Equipe slapped Tantashev with a brutal 1/10 rating for failing to seize control of the occasion.
In a tense flashpoint of the match, goalkeeper Gill was left furious after Mbappe refused to shake his hands while celebrating in front of the French fans.
Gill reacted furiously, throwing the ball at Mbappe’s back before he walked over to the centre circle, where another melee took place.
Speaking after the match, Gill fumed: ‘Kylian Mbappe has p***ed me off. I stretched my hand to congratulate him, but he ignored me.
‘This is football, if they’re not used to this, what can we do? Paraguay is like that, it’s a tough team.
‘From the first moment we set out to make ourselves felt on the field, that if the ball gets through, the man doesn’t.’
Speaking about the controversial encounter, Mbappe hailed his side and said they are prepared to win via any method at this World Cup.
‘We knew what kind of game we were going to have. We showed that we were not just a team that knows how to play offensive football,’ he said.
‘They thought we’d come wearing tuxedos, doing great plays, one-twos and whatnot. It’s their way of playing.’
