Senator Threatens Legal Action Against Mbappé

A controversy surrounding the World Cup has moved beyond the football pitch, with France captain Kylian Mbappé and Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla becoming involved in a heated public dispute. The row began after Paraguay’s 1-0 defeat to France and has since escalated, with Amarilla threatening legal action unless Mbappé issues a public apology.

Following the match, Amarilla posted comments on social media platform X targeting the French forward. In her remarks, she described Mbappé using highly critical and offensive language, including accusations linked to his background and character. Although she later removed the post, the issue gained further attention after Mbappé reportedly responded to the criticism.

Amarilla then published an open letter in which she acknowledged that some of her own words had gone too far. However, she maintained that she expected Mbappé to apologise publicly for what she described as disrespectful behaviour towards her and Paraguay.

The senator made it clear that her disagreement was not with France as a nation, but specifically with Mbappé. She claimed that her criticism was based on what she believed were inappropriate actions and comments from the French captain during the tournament.

Allegations over match behaviour

Amarilla accused Mbappé of making remarks before the match that she considered disrespectful towards Paraguay. According to her account, the French forward allegedly said, “If we have to play dirty, we will play dirty.” She claimed that such comments were insulting to the entire Paraguayan team.

The senator also alleged that Mbappé behaved arrogantly towards opposition players during the match and used offensive language in Spanish at one stage. However, these claims have not been independently verified.

Dispute over post-match conduct

Another point of criticism from Amarilla was Mbappé’s conduct after the final whistle. She accused him of celebrating victory without shaking hands with Paraguay’s goalkeeper.

According to the senator, showing respect towards opponents is one of the fundamental values of sport. She argued that footballers should maintain sportsmanship regardless of whether they win or lose.

Amarilla expresses regret over her own comments

While continuing her criticism of Mbappé, Amarilla also admitted that her own reaction had crossed a line. She said that anger led her to use racist and insulting language against the footballer, which she later recognised as unacceptable.

The senator explained that she removed the original post after realising that she had repeated the same kind of hateful language that she herself had experienced. She said the decision to delete the post came from a desire not to contribute to further hostility.

Demand for public apology

In her open letter, Amarilla called on Mbappé to withdraw any comments made against her and issue a public apology. She argued that he had no right to describe her as inferior or unfit for her position, stressing that she is a senator elected by the people.

At the end of the letter, Amarilla accused Mbappé of making comments that amounted to political and gender-based attacks against her. She warned that if the French star refuses to apologise, she may take legal action.

The dispute has added another layer of controversy around the World Cup, where discussions about player conduct, respect and sportsmanship have often attracted as much attention as events on the pitch. Neither Mbappé nor his representatives have publicly confirmed whether they will respond to Amarilla’s demands.