African football players are often subjected to racist abuse on and off the pitch.
Published July 7, 2026
French footballer Kylian Mbappé has hit back at a Paraguayan senator over racist remarks he made over the weekend in connection with Paraguay’s loss to France at the World Cup.
True Radical Liberal Party senator Celeste Amarilla had taken several jabs at Mbappé after the French captain’s penalty after Paraguay lost 1-0 in the round of 16.
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In a series of racist comments directed at the French striker posted on X on Saturday, Amarilla mocked his Cameroonian roots, upbringing, appearance and education.
In response to the backlash, Amarilla late Monday posted an open letter to Mbappe in French and Spanish, deleted her post and said she regretted “the same insults” she suffered as a mixed-race person.
But she also accused Mbappé of “gender-based violence”, demanded an apology and threatened legal action in response to his insult.
Ahead of Saturday’s game, former Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilabert called the French national team “a team from Africa.”
Mbappe refuted the senator’s initial comments in a post on Twitter early Monday morning.
“Mrs. Celeste Amarilla, you are a vile woman and unworthy of your position,” the soccer player wrote in a post with a photo of the senator.
Hundreds of Mbappe fans also took aim at Amarilla in the comments.
“You do not represent Paraguay, who sweated their passion and honor throughout the tournament. With your recklessness and brazen racism, the whole world has already forgotten the journey and historic efforts of our players in this World Cup, giving way to an incompetent woman who gives the worst image of her country. I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread hatred and racism around the world,” Mbappe added.
How did others react?
French politicians spoke out in support of Mbappe and condemned Amarilla’s comments.
President Emmanuel Macron, who is currently visiting Syria, supported the footballer’s reaction to the insult. “Another Kylian Mbappé goal, this time against racism,” Macron wrote on X, adding that he had the captain’s “full support”.
France’s Sports Minister Marina Ferrari wrote of X: “By targeting Kylian Mbappé, the senator is attacking everything our captain stands for and everything our country stands for: freedom, equality and fraternity.”
“In three words: outrageous, tragic and scandalous,” France assistant coach Guy Stephan said.
Racism has long been a stain that football has had to deal with, both from fans in stadiums and from the political realm, including football politics.
African football players are particularly targeted by fans. Sometimes they receive abuse from their fellow players. In the age of social media, footballers have become even more vulnerable to online abuse. Here are some well-known cases over the years.
Dani Alves: During a La Liga match in Spain in 2014, a fan threw a banana at the Afro-Brazilian defender. Alves’ response was to calmly pick up a banana and eat it before continuing with the match. However, the fan faced significant backlash online, and the incident sparked an anti-racism campaign on social media. Romelu Lukaku: The Belgian striker, who plays for SSC Napoli in Italy’s Serie A, has faced multiple incidents of racism throughout his career. When he appears, rival fans often make provocative gestures or make monkey-like noises. In April 2023, during Inter Milan’s match against Juventus, a section of the crowd shouted hostile chants at him and made monkey-like noises. However, Lukaku was suspended for silencing the crowd by celebrating by putting his index finger to his lips after scoring a penalty in the final minute. The referee claimed Lukaku had “provoked” the crowd. His suspension was later revoked and Juventus were banned from entering part of the stadium. Vinicius Junior: In May 2023, the Real Madrid and Brazil forward confronted a fan who taunted him at Valencia’s Mestalla stadium. The move led to historic convictions and ultimately prison sentences for the perpetrators. But that was just one of several times Vinicius was tempted to complain about racist abuse. Once, a black mannequin wearing his shirt was hung on a bridge. Most recently, in February 2026, Benfica’s Gianluca Prestiani was reported to have used a racial slur during a match, forcing a 10-minute suspension during a high-profile Champions League match. Prestiani denied the allegations, but Vinicius’ teammates, including Mbappe, strongly supported him. Prestiani was investigated for using a homophobic slur and was suspended for six games. The incident prompted the International Football Association Board to enact a new policy ahead of the World Cup. Players who cover their mouths while talking to an opponent will receive a red card. Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho: the England players, all of Caribbean or African descent, faced intense racist abuse online after missing a penalty in the UEFA Euro 2020 final between England and Italy. British authorities investigated the incident and at least 11 people were arrested.
