France head coach Didier Deschamps has confirmed that captain Kylian Mbappe is in a good mental state ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinal against Morocco, despite facing racist comments from Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla. The remarks came after France's tense 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the round of 16.
Racist Remarks by Paraguayan Senator
Following France's narrow win, Senator Celeste Amarilla directed offensive language at Mbappe, calling him a "colonised Cameroonian" who "pretends hard to be French, resentful, newly rich, arrogant, and ugly." She also claimed that France "won by a fluke" and that Mbappe was "nervous and scared to death the whole match."
The comments sparked widespread condemnation from Mbappe, the French Football Federation, French President Emmanuel Macron, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The United Nations Human Rights office also denounced the remarks as "racist and dehumanising."
Deschamps' Assurance on Mbappe's Mental State
Speaking to the media ahead of the quarterfinal clash, Deschamps dismissed concerns about any distraction caused by the controversy. "Kylian is in a good place mentally. He's ready for tomorrow," Deschamps said, as quoted by Goal.com.
The French camp remains focused on the upcoming match against Morocco, with Deschamps emphasizing that the team's preparation has not been affected.
UN Human Rights Office Condemns Racism
Thameen Al-Kheetan, a spokesperson for the UN Human Rights office, issued a strong statement condemning Amarilla's remarks. "The racist and dehumanising remarks against French footballer Kylian Mbappe by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla are despicable and, regrettably, not isolated. Reports of racist incidents during the FIFA World Cup 2026 reflect a wider phenomenon across football and sports more broadly," Al-Kheetan said, as quoted on the United Nations website.
The UN spokesperson urged public officials, governments, sports organizations, and social media platforms to take stronger measures against racism, discrimination, and hate speech. "Public officials have a heightened responsibility to stand against racism, discrimination and hate speech in their discourse. States and sports organisations must actively work to prevent acts of racism and any other form of discrimination. They should also ensure that there are independent and effective accountability mechanisms in place," Al-Kheetan added.
In a post on X, the UN Human Rights office stated: "The power of sport must be used to promote equality, dignity & respect, not hatred or dehumanisation. Language that dehumanises people because of their race or ethnic origin has no place in sport or public discourse."
Impact on the Team and Match Preview
Despite the controversy, France is fully focused on their quarterfinal encounter with Morocco. Mbappe, who has been a key player for Les Bleus, is expected to lead the attack. The team is aiming to defend their World Cup title, having won the trophy in 2018 and reaching the final in 2022.
Morocco, meanwhile, has been a surprise package in the tournament, advancing to the quarterfinals after a strong performance in the group stage and knockout rounds. The match promises to be a tough test for France, but with Mbappe in good spirits, the team remains confident.
