France’s forward #10 Kylian Mbappe celebrates after winning the 2026 World Cup round of 16 football match between Paraguay and France at the Philadelphia Stadium in Philadelphia on July 4, 2026. (Photo by Jewel SAMAD / AFP)
A Paraguayan lawmaker’s “racist and dehumanising” remarks about France’s football World Cup star Kylian Mbappe were “despicable”, but regrettably not isolated, the United Nations said Tuesday.
Celeste Amarilla, a member of the main opposition Liberal Party, called France’s captain a “colonised Cameroonian who has really pretended to be French, embittered, nouveau riche, arrogant and ugly”.
Amongst other comments, she accused the striker of being “scared to death” during France’s 1-0 victory over Paraguay in Saturday’s World Cup last-16 match in Philadelphia.
“The racist and dehumanising remarks against French footballer Kylian Mbappe by Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla are despicable and, regrettably, not isolated,” UN human rights office spokesman Thameen Al-Kheetan said in a statement.
