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Mbappe hits back at racist insults from Paraguay senator

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3 weeks ago

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“Moron,” “colonized Cameroonian,” “full of inferiority complexes, nouveau riche, arrogant, and ugly” — these remarks from Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla have triggered a wave of international outrage.

The target of her attacks was French football star Kylian Mbappe. Now, all of France is rallying behind the national team captain.

A fiercely contested, emotional match

Amarilla’s comments followed Saturday’s emotionally charged World Cup round-of-16 match between France and Paraguay in Philadelphia, which France won 1-0.

Mbappe was subjected to repeated rough tackles during the match and stirred up further controversy after the final whistle with provocative gestures directed at the Paraguayan players. His refusal to shake hands with goalkeeper Orlando Gill became a major talking point.

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Kylian Mbappe battles a Paraguayan player
The match between France and Paraguay was often physicalImage: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/picture alliance

Shortly thereafter, Amarilla published several posts on social media. In one, she called the striker a “moron” who hadn’t even learned to write. “Instead of mother’s milk, he sucked on coconuts, and the most educated things he ever heard were chimpanzees,” she wrote.

“Madame Celeste Amarilla, you are a despicable woman and unworthy of your office. You do not represent Paraguay — a country that has exuded passion and honor throughout the entire tournament,” Mbappe responded via X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

The forward made it clear that he would not let such racist attacks go unanswered. He said Amarilla had, “through her blatant racism … presented the worst possible image of her country. I will never allow people like her the freedom to spread their hatred and racism across the world.”

Mbappe’s reaction was met with widespread approval in France. Many politicians, sports officials and fans publicly rallied behind the French star, who helped lead the country to the 2018 World Cup title and the 2022 World Cup final.

Federation announces legal action

France’s football federation (FFF) came out in strong support of the forward.

“The racist comments made by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla against Kylian Mbappe are utterly abhorrent and unacceptable,” the FFF stated. The federation also announced plans to file a complaint with the public prosecutor’s office “to initiate criminal proceedings.”

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FFF President Philippe Diallo also demonstratively stood by his captain. He explained that the French national team players represent the entire country; consequently, attacks on Mbappe were also attacks on France itself.

Support also came from French President Emmanuel Macron, who stated that he “supports Kylian Mbappe and the French national team in the face of the racist attacks.”

According to the presidential office, even Paraguayan President Santiago Pena had condemned the senator’s remarks. Paraguay’s foreign ministry also distanced itself from Amarilla de Boccia’s statements.

Infantino weighs in

The incident eventually drew the attention of the global football community. FIFA President Gianni Infantino responded with a message of solidarity, stating that he condemned the insults “unequivocally.”

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“I unequivocally condemn the racist remarks made against Kylian Mbappe by Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla,” he wrote on Instagram.

“The entire football world and society stand in solidarity with the France captain: we must fight racism and defeat it together.”

Amarilla de Boccia responded to the wave of condemnation with an open letter in which she explained that her words were directed at Mbappe personally rather than at France as a whole. She also expressed a measure of regret.

“After only a short time, I regretted hurling the very same insults at you that I myself have to endure,” the senator wrote, adding that as a Latina, she too had also been the victim of racist abuse.

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This article was originally published in German.

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5 players who are switching states ahead of India’s 2026-27 domestic season ft. Shashank Singh

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7 minutes ago

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3 August 2026

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The annual pre-season transfer window in Indian domestic cricket allows players to switch state associations as outstation or guest recruits under the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regulations.

State teams are permitted up to three guest players to strengthen their squads ahead of the Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy campaigns. These transfers are driven by players seeking more game time, specialized roles, or leadership opportunities, while developing state teams aim to recruit veteran talents to bolster their squad depth.

The upcoming 2026-27 season features several notable moves, with prominent domestic regulars and IPL players shifting allegiances. Let’s take a look at five such moves.

#1 Shashank Singh

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounder Shashank Singh will turn up for Puducherry in the 2026-27 season after shifting base from Chhattisgarh. The Chhattisgarh State Cricket Sangh (CSCS) has already issued an NOC to the player.

Singh alleged that the state association didn’t support him while he was recovering from an injury that he suffered last season. He further claimed that the association questioned his commitment, saying that the batter only wanted to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The 27-year-old added that CSCS officials didn’t give him any clarity over why he was left out of the Chhattisgarh Premier League and the team’s pre-season camp.

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Singh has played 21 first-class games for Chhattisgarh over the last seven years. He has also represented the state in 31 List A and 42 T20s.

#2 Yash Dayal

Royal Challengers Bengaluru fast bowler Yash Dayal will represent Chhattisgarh in the upcoming domestic season. He has already joined the team’s pre-season camp in Alur.

Dayal has not played any competitive cricket since the IPL 2025 final, after which he faced charges relating to sexual assault. The left-arm pacer was retained by Gorakhpur Lions for the upcoming UP T20 League. However, he didn’t feature in the 18-member squad the franchise announced following the auction.

The 28-year-old has represented Uttar Pradesh in 27 first-class, 23 List A, and 71 T20s, picking up 186 wickets across formats, including two five-wicket hauls.

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Dayal will look to start fresh for Chhattisgarh in the upcoming season and make his way back to the scheme of things.

#3 Dharmendrasinh Jadeja

Chhattisgarh is looking to build a strong squad for the upcoming domestic season. As a result, they have roped in Saurashtra‘s veteran left-arm spinner Dharmendrasinh Jadeja.

The 35-year-old spinner has been a stalwart in the domestic circuit, picking up 423 wickets in 100 first-class matches, including seven 10-wicket hauls and 26 five-fors. Jadeja also has 121 List A and 65 T20 wickets under his belt.

Jadeja is also a very handy batter in the lower order, accumulating almost 2900 runs across formats. He also has 10 fifties under his belt.

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Jadeja’s addition will certainly boost Chhattisgarh’s squad depth as they look to put in a spirited performance next season.

#4 Prasad Pawar

Mumbai wicketkeeper-batter Prasad Pawar has signed with Puducherry to play alongside Shashank Singh as a guest player in the upcoming domestic season.

Prasad has struggled for game time in the Mumbai squad, with Hardik Tamore playing as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter. As a result, Prasad has decided to shift base to Puducherry in search of more playing time.

Prasad made his List A debut in 2021, while his first-class and T20 debuts came in 2023. Overall, he has represented Mumbai in 27 matches, scoring 591 runs, including one hundred and fifty each.

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#5 Jayant Yadav

An offspinner from Haryana, Jayant Yadav, has decided to join Chhattisgarh for the 2026-27 domestic season. He brings truckloads of experience along with him, having represented India in six Tests and two ODIs while picking up 17 wickets in total.

Yadav has 96 first-class, 74 List A, and 95 T20s under his belt, picking up 272, 68, and 61 wickets, respectively, including two 10-wicket hauls and 15 five-fors. He is also very handy with the bat in the lower order, scoring 4781 runs, including three hundreds and 22 fifties. The 36-year-old cricketer also has one Test hundred and fifty each to his name.

Chhattisgarh will rely heavily on the spin duo of Yadav and Jadeja to bring laurels for the team in the upcoming season.