2026 World Cup: FIFA and France Show Support for Mbappé Following Racial Insult from Paraguayan Lawmaker

FIFA and French President Emmanuel Macron have come out in strong support of Kylian Mbappé, denouncing the racist comments made by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla after the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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Macron took to his X handle to condemn Amarilla's "racist attacks" on the France captain, reaffirming the country's backing for Mbappé and stating "When words defile, our values respond: dignity, respect, fraternity."

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In a post, Macron wrote "Another goal for Kylian Mbappé, against racism this time, All my support" and addressed Mbappé directly with the handle @KMbappe.

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FIFA President Gianni Infantino also spoke out against Amarilla's remarks, emphasizing that football must stand united against racism and stating "All of football and society stand in solidarity with the France captain — we need to fight racism and defeat it all together."

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Infantino's comments were made in an Instagram post, where he reiterated the importance of unity in the face of racism.

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The controversy surrounding Amarilla's comments began after France's victory over Paraguay in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Saturday.

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According to PUNCH Online, the incident started when Mbappé scored the decisive penalty that sent France into the quarter-finals, eliminating Paraguay.

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The match ended in a tense altercation, with videos showing Mbappé walking past an attempted handshake from Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill, who then threw the ball at the France forward.

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Gill explained that he "lost his temper" after Mbappé ignored his attempt at a handshake, saying "I tried to shake his hand, but since he didn’t pay me any attention."

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Amarilla reacted to a video of Gill discussing the incident, describing Mbappé as "a colonised Cameroonian who has really pretended to be French" and making derogatory comments about his education and upbringing.

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Amarilla also described Mbappé as "colonised Cameroonian, pretending hard to be French, resentful, newly rich, arrogant, and ugly" and claimed he had been "nervous and scared to death" throughout the match.

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Mbappé responded to Amarilla's comments on his verified X handle, calling her "a despicable woman" who was unworthy of her office and accusing her of racism.

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Mbappé stated "Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your position" and emphasized that she did not represent Paraguay or its values.

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He added that Amarilla's "recklessness and brazen racism" had overshadowed the achievements of the Paraguayan team in the World Cup.

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Mbappé, who was born in Paris to a Cameroonian father and a French-Algerian mother, has been the subject of previous remarks questioning the nationality of French players of African descent, which have been widely condemned as racist and discriminatory.