Celeste Amarilla, a Paraguayan senator from the Authentic Radical Liberal Party, stepped back into the verbal ring against Kylian Mbappé. This time she did it from Paraguay’s own Senate, on July 8, 2026, with a phrase that left no doubt about what she thinks of the French captain. 🎙️
Her anger has a specific origin: she claims that Mbappé refused to shake hands with Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill after the round-of-16 match at the 2026 World Cup, where France eliminated La Albirroja. It is not the first time the senator has taken shots at the forward — she had already done so as soon as that match ended, with comments that many described as racist.⚽
“Greeting is also internalized. The neighbor walking down the sidewalk who says ‘goodbye,’ that’s typical. The child who passes by, sees an elderly woman, and says ‘blessing.’ Good morning, good afternoon, see you later, good night, that is also a Paraguayan ritual. So what made us angry? That when Orlando Gill, a child, extends his hand with all the humility of a Paraguayan, this son of a b… refuses his hand and shouts in his face. That is not French. A Frenchman would never have done that”, the controversial senator said.