Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla has demanded that France captain Kylian Mbappé retract comments describing her as “a despicable woman” and apologise, warning that she could pursue legal action if he fails to do so.
The senator made the demand in an open letter released on Tuesday, after the pair exchanged words following France’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 victory over Paraguay.
The latest development followed widespread criticism of Amarilla after she made remarks about Mbappé’s African heritage in the aftermath of the match.
In her letter, Amarilla insisted her disagreement was solely with the France forward and not with his country.
She wrote: “The problem is between you and me. I have never said anything against France.
“On the contrary, I stand with France.”
The senator accused Mbappé of showing arrogance before and during the match, alleging he disrespected Paraguayan players and goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
According to Amarilla, the France captain showed contempt for Paraguay by refusing to shake Gill’s hand after the final whistle before celebrating the victory in front of the goalkeeper.
She admitted that her earlier social media post was made in anger and said she later deleted it after recognising she had responded with the same type of insults she opposes.
Amarilla said: “I immediately regretted responding to you with the same insults that I myself receive. I realised I was repeating the very behaviour I despise, so I deleted the post.”
Despite that admission, she argued that Mbappé’s response crossed the line.
She wrote: “I am a Senator of the Paraguayan Nation, elected by the people.
“Who are you to call me unworthy or despicable when you do not even know me?”
The lawmaker further alleged that the France captain’s comments amounted to gender-based violence and political violence against a woman.
She urged Mbappé to withdraw his remarks, saying: “Retract your statements, honour your French citizenship, and apologise.
“Otherwise, I may pursue legal action for gender-based violence.”
The controversy erupted after Mbappé converted the decisive penalty that secured France’s place in the World Cup quarter-finals at Paraguay’s expense.
Following the match, videos circulating online appeared to show goalkeeper Gill attempting to shake Mbappé’s hand before throwing the ball towards the France captain.
Gill later explained the incident, saying: “I tried to shake his hand, but since he didn’t pay me any attention, I lost my temper.”
Reacting to footage of Gill’s comments, Amarilla described Mbappé as “a colonised Cameroonian who has really pretended to be French.”
Mbappé responded on Monday through his X account, describing the senator as “a despicable woman” and accusing her of “brazen racism.”
French President Emmanuel Macron and FIFA President Gianni Infantino condemned Amarilla’s earlier remarks and expressed support for the France captain.
