Paraguayan Senator insults Mbappé with racist remarks after World Cup Round of 16 – Sports Minister Ferrari reacts with outrage

On X, the politician wrote, among other things, that Mbappé had „statt Muttermilch Kokosnüsse ausgesaugt, und das Gebildetste, was er je gehört hat, waren Schimpansen. Hättest du ihm doch den Mittelfinger gezeigt, Orlando Gill. Ich mache das im Senat auch, und da passiert überhaupt nichts!!!" She also called the striker „Trottel" and said he had not even learned to write.

Mbappé strikes back

On Instagram, the senator followed up with another tirade. She called Mbappé a „kolonisierten Kameruner" who plays the tough Frenchman, and described him as „voller Minderwertigkeitskomplexe, neureich, arrogant und hässlich". She also wrote that the forward had been nervous throughout the entire match and had been terrified – „genau wie seine gesamte Mannschaft".

Mbappé himself also responded on platform X and struck a harsh tone. The senator was „eine verachtenswerte Frau und unwürdig Ihres Amtes", wrote the captain of Les Bleus. He would „niemals" allow people like Celeste Amarilla de Boccia „die Freiheit lassen, ihren Hass und ihren Rassismus in der Welt zu verbreiten".

In a detailed statement, Mbappé accused the politician that through her „Unbewusstheit und ihren schamlosen Rassismus" the world had already forgotten the historic journey and the commitment of the Paraguayan players during this World Cup. In doing so, she made way „für eine inkompetente Dame, die das schlechteste mögliche Bild ihres Landes vermittelt". Mbappé also emphasized that the senator did not represent the Paraguay that, „von Leidenschaft und Ehre durchdrungen", had competed throughout the entire World Cup.

France's Sports Minister responds

France's Sports Minister Marina Ferrari reacted with outrage to the verbal outbursts. On X she wrote: „Diese Äußerungen sind abscheulich, unwürdig und umso inakzeptabler, als sie von einer politischen Verantwortlichen stammen." By attacking Mbappé, the senator was attacking everything the French captain embodies and everything France stands for: „die Freiheit, die Gleichheit und die Brüderlichkeit".

The trigger for the senator's anger was apparently Mbappé's behavior immediately after the final whistle. The 27-year-old had refused to shake hands with Paraguay's goalkeeper Orlando Gill and had celebrated with a provocative gesture. Gill then threw the ball at Mbappé's back. „Aus Frust verweigerte der 27-Jährige nach Spielende Paraguays Keeper Orlando Gill den Handschlag, feierte mit einer provokanten Geste", according to APA reporting.

Background on the pitch

The match itself was characterized by great physicality. Mbappé was „immer wieder hart attackiert worden, hatte aber auch ausgeteilt" during the game, reported the news agency APA. France, which had entered the tournament as title favorite, secured its place in the quarterfinals through a penalty converted by Mbappé.

The senator dismissed France's narrow victory as lucky. Paraguay „nicht einmal ein Tor erzielt und nur mit ganz viel Glück gewonnen", she wrote on X. Furthermore, „das Einzige, was viele von uns der Albirroja vorwerfen, ist, dass sie ihm nach dem Schlusspfiff nicht eine schallende Ohrfeige verpasst hat" – thereby referencing the nickname of the Paraguayan national team.

Paraguay, which as the „Deutschland-Besieger" had produced one of the great surprises of the World Cup so far, was eliminated from the tournament with the defeat against France. The team's performance had previously been recognized by the sporting public – but the politician's racist outbursts overshadowed this recognition in the international perception.

Mbappé, considered one of France's best-known athletes, had repeatedly taken a stand against racism in football in the past. At this World Cup as well, he had already been the victim of insulting chants from the crowd. His public counterattack this time against a high-ranking Paraguayan politician fits into a series of such incidents and underscores the ongoing debate about discriminatory remarks in the context of international tournaments.

Political dimension and reactions

The role of Celeste Amarilla de Boccia as a sitting senator of Paraguay gives the incident additional weight. The fact that the statements came from the political sphere of a democratically constituted country was explicitly criticized by both Mbappé and Sports Minister Ferrari. Ferrari pointed to the special responsibility that comes with a political office.

On platform X, the hashtag related to the senator's insulting posts became one of the most-discussed topics in the French-speaking internet within just a few hours. Numerous users expressed solidarity with Mbappé and condemned the racist remarks. World football governing body FIFA also expressed concern about the incident.

Outlook on the quarterfinal

Mbappé announced that he would have the legal options against the dissemination of racist content examined. His management pointed out that such statements were not only personally insulting but could also be of criminal relevance. The senator herself has not apologized for her remarks so far.

The incidents cast a spotlight on the handling of racism in the context of major international sporting events. While rules of the game and stadium regulations sanction discrimination, political statements often remain outside the jurisdiction of sports associations. France will next face Morocco in the quarterfinals, which will be broadcast live on ARD on Thursday at 22:00.