Paraguayan Senator Demands Apology from Mbappé

Celest Amarilla, a Paraguayan senator, has issued an open letter to French captain Kylian Mbappé, demanding a retraction of his comments and an apology, threatening legal action for gender-based violence. This demand follows a heated exchange during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match between France and Paraguay.

Amarilla criticized Mbappé for his remarks regarding her South African heritage, which she claims were disrespectful and showed contempt for Paraguayan players, particularly goalkeeper Orlando Gill. She noted that Mbappé refused to shake Gill's hand after scoring, which she interpreted as an insult.

Amarilla acknowledged that she had made a heated social media post in response but later deleted it, expressing regret for her reaction. However, she maintained that Mbappé's comments were unacceptable and amounted to gender-based violence.

She called for him to retract his statements and apologize, or she would pursue legal action. The incident has drawn condemnation from French President Emmanuel Macron and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.