The development follows a heated exchange between the two figures after the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 encounter between France national football team and Paraguay national football team.
The controversy began after Amarilla made comments about Mbappé’s African heritage following the match, remarks that triggered criticism from several quarters. Mbappé later responded publicly, describing her comments as racist and calling her “a despicable woman.”
In her open letter released on Tuesday, Amarilla insisted that her disagreement was personal and not directed at France, a country she said she respects and admires.
“The problem is between you and me. I have never said anything against France. On the contrary, I stand with France,” she wrote.
The senator accused Mbappé of showing disrespect towards Paraguay’s players during and after the match, claiming that the France captain displayed arrogance and behaved in a manner that offended the South American country.
She alleged that Mbappé ignored an attempt by Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill to shake hands after the game and celebrated the victory in a way she considered disrespectful.
The dispute escalated after Paraguay’s elimination, with France progressing to the quarter-finals following Mbappé’s decisive penalty.
Following the final whistle, footage circulated showing a tense moment involving Mbappé and Gill. The Paraguayan goalkeeper later said he attempted to greet the French forward but became frustrated after receiving no response.
“I tried to shake his hand, but since he didn’t pay me any attention, I lost my temper,” Gill said.
Amarilla later reacted to a video of Gill discussing the incident, posting comments about Mbappé’s background that drew widespread condemnation.
She subsequently acknowledged that her initial reaction was made emotionally and admitted that some of her own words crossed a line.
“I immediately regretted responding to you with the same insults that I myself receive. I realised I was repeating the very behaviour I despise, so I deleted the post,” she wrote.
However, she argued that Mbappé’s response against her was also inappropriate, particularly because she holds an elected political position.
“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.
Amarilla maintained that Mbappé’s comments amounted to an attack against her as a woman and public official, describing them as “gender-based violence” and “political violence against a woman.”
“Retract your statements, honour your French citizenship, and apologise. Otherwise, I may pursue legal action for gender-based violence,” she stated.
Mbappé had earlier responded to the controversy in a post on X, accusing Amarilla of “brazen racism” and describing her remarks as unacceptable.
The incident has also attracted reactions from international football and political figures. Emmanuel Macron and Gianni Infantino condemned Amarilla’s earlier comments and expressed support for the France captain.
The dispute has since developed beyond football, raising broader questions about racism, political speech, gender-based attacks and the responsibilities of public figures when engaging in public disagreements.