FIFA president Gianni Infantino has strongly condemned racist comments directed at France captain Kylian Mbappe following France’s FIFA World Cup quarter-final victory over Paraguay, calling on football and society to unite against racism.
The controversy erupted after Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla made a series of racist remarks on social media following Paraguay’s 1-0 defeat to France. Mbappe scored the winning penalty in Philadelphia to send Didier Deschamps’ side into the semi-finals.
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Breaking his silence on Tuesday, Infantino expressed solidarity with the French forward and denounced the abuse. “I unequivocally condemn the racist comments directed towards Kylian Mbappe. All of football and society stand in solidarity with the France captain. We need to fight racism and defeat it all together,” he wrote on Instagram.
The Paraguayan government distanced itself from Amarilla’s remarks, stating they reflected her personal views and did not represent the country’s values or official position. The foreign ministry described the comments as being contrary to the principles of peaceful coexistence and respect for human dignity.
Mbappe responded by calling the senator “unworthy” of holding public office and vowed not to allow racism to spread unchecked. He also said her comments overshadowed Paraguay’s impressive World Cup campaign.
The French Football Federation announced it would file a criminal complaint, describing the remarks as “criminal” and “utterly unacceptable.” French assistant coach Guy Stephan also condemned the abuse, while French President Emmanuel Macron voiced his support, praising Mbappe for standing up against racism.
Paraguayan Congress president Basilio Nunez also rejected the senator’s comments, stressing they did not reflect the genuine values of the Paraguayan people and insisting that politics should remain separate from sport.
