“A colonized, arrogant, and ugly Cameroonian who pretends to be French,” a Paraguayan senator tears down Mbappé.

The defeat of Paraguay against the French team in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup (1-0) is still hard to swallow. In an already tense context following criticisms made before the match by former goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert, a new controversy has ignited public debate. This time, it is Senator Celeste Amarilla who is at the center of the storm. The Paraguayan elected official harshly criticized Kylian Mbappé on social media, accusing him of displaying an attitude perceived as a lack of sportsmanship at the final whistle, after he did not shake hands with goalkeeper Orlando Gil. “This brute hasn’t even learned to write. Instead of mother’s milk, he sucked on coconuts, and the most educated beings he has ever heard were chimpanzees. You should have given him the finger, Orlando Gil,” wrote the Paraguayan senator.

Her remarks, widely circulated and condemned, quickly transcended the sports realm to trigger a wave of outrage, both for their tone and verbal violence. In her message, the senator also multiplied personal attacks against the captain of the Blues, statements that immediately provoked reactions on social media and in the local press, with some calling for public apologies. I do it in the Senate and nothing happens. A colonized Cameroonian, pretending to be French, resentful, nouveau riche, arrogant, and ugly. He was nervous and scared to death throughout the match, like his entire team. They didn’t even manage to score a single goal; they won by luck… The only thing many of us blame Albirroja for is not giving him a slap in the face at the end of the match. And yet, I’m not a football fan,” she added.

For now, neither the Paraguayan Federation nor global football governing bodies have officially reacted to this controversy, which further tarnishes Albirroja’s exit from the 2026 World Cup. On the sports side, France has secured its qualification for the quarter-finals, where it will face Morocco, which defeated Canada (3-0).