Paraguayan senator demands apology from Mbappé, threatens legal action

Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla has demanded an apology from French football captain Kylian Mbappé, threatening legal action over his response to her remarks about his heritage. Amarilla stated that Mbappé’s comments amounted to "gender-based violence" and "political violence against a woman."

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The problem is between you and me. I have never said anything against France. On the contrary, I stand with France.

In an open letter published Tuesday, Amarilla called on Mbappé to retract his statements and apologize, or face potential legal action. She described herself as a longtime admirer of France but insisted the dispute was personal.

"The problem is between you and me. I have never said anything against France. On the contrary, I stand with France," she wrote. Amarilla accused Mbappé of arrogance before and during the recent match between France and Paraguay. She alleged he showed "contempt" for Paraguayan players, refused to shake goalkeeper Orlando Gill’s hand, and celebrated directly in his face.

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I am a Senator of the Paraguayan Nation, elected by the people. Who are you to call me unworthy or despicable when you do not even know me?

Amarilla acknowledged her earlier social media posts were made "in the heat of the moment" and were deleted after she realized she had responded with insults she found objectionable. However, she deemed Mbappé's description of her as "a despicable woman" unacceptable. "I am a Senator of the Paraguayan Nation, elected by the people. Who are you to call me unworthy or despicable when you do not even know me?" she asked.

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Retract your statements, honour your French citizenship, and apologise. Otherwise, I may pursue legal action for gender-based violence.

The controversy began after Mbappé scored the penalty that eliminated Paraguay from the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Following the match, videos appeared to show Mbappé ignoring an attempted handshake from Gill and throwing the ball at him. "I tried to shake his hand, but since he didn’t pay me any attention, I lost my temper," Gill said.

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I tried to shake his hand, but since he didn’t pay me any attention, I lost my temper.