Paraguay senator reignites feud with Kylian Mbappé after FIFA World Cup 2026 row – ‘Hire a lawyer’
After Paraguay senator Celeste Amarilla made racist comments on Kylian Mbappe, the French football star gave a strong reply, claiming that she was a ‘despicable woman’.
Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla has renewed her attack on France forward Kylian Mbappé, urging the French Football Federation (FFF) to "hire a lawyer" as their public feud escalated.
The exchange began after Mbappé scored the winning penalty in France's 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Philadelphia, sending Les Bleus into the quarter-finals.
Paraguay had reached the Round of 16 after defeating four-time champions Germany 4-3 on penalties in the Round of 32.
Following France's victory, Amarilla posted on X describing Mbappé as a "colonised Cameroonian, desperately trying to pass himself off as French." She also called him "a brute who had not learned to write."
Mbappé responded by calling the senator "a despicable woman" who was "unworthy" of holding public office.
Celeste slams Mbappe again
Speaking to journalists later, Amarilla said she was offended by Mbappé's remarks and mocked him, claiming he was “still looking for Paraguay on the map.”
"What the hell does he (Kylian Mbappe) know about me? He doesn't even know where Paraguay is. He is still looking for it on the map. Of course, I was offended. And with reason enough to file a lawsuit against Mbappe," she said.
She also dismissed suggestions that the French Football Federation could take legal action against her.
“Now, to the FFF (French Football Federation), I tell them to hire a lawyer. They have no standing to sue me. They don't have it. When did I talk about the FFF? When did I talk to France? I don't owe an apology. I did this for Paraguay,” she said.
She, however, later deleted her racist post on Kylian Mbappe as she began facing a lot of criticism for her comments. She later said that she regretted making the comments, which, according to her, were the same insults that she had received as a mixed-race Latina. However, she stopped short of fully accepting responsibility for the controversy.
Kylian Mbappe has enjoyed a stellar run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He s among the contenders for the Golden Boot award, and is currently joint-second in the standings with seven goals.
Argentina's Lionel Messi currently leads the standings with eight goals. France will lock horns against Morocco in their quarter-final clash in Boston on Thursday.
France is looking to clinch its third FIFA World Cup title, having won in 1998 and 2018.