Paraguayan football great Jose Luis Chilavert has been sharply criticised by French Football Federation (FFF) president Philippe Diallo, who described him as a “disgrace” for making offensive remarks about France ahead of their 2026 World Cup round-of-16 clash.
The former Paraguay goalkeeper had stated that his national team would be taking on a “squad from Africa” in the World Cup fixture held in Philadelphia.
The 60-year-old also shared an image on social media showing comments he claimed were made by former French forward Christophe Dugarry, which suggested that Paraguay would be soundly beaten by Les Bleus.
Chilavert wrote in response, “Christophe, you’re right. In 1998 we faced the French, and now Paraguay will face a squad from Africa.”
The two players had previously met on the pitch during the 1998 World Cup when France defeated Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16, before going on to win their first-ever world title against Brazil in the final.
Diallo addressed the controversy on X, issuing a firm statement: “I strongly condemn the racist remarks made by José Luis Chilavert against the French national team. Such comments go against the core values of respect, fraternity, and diversity that define our football.”
In this year’s World Cup last-16 match, France once again triumphed 1-0, thanks to a Kylian Mbappe penalty that came after a lengthy VAR review following a foul by Diego Gomez on Desire Doue.
The game saw rising tensions, as Paraguay’s physical approach led to several fouls on French players but surprisingly did not result in any yellow cards.
Former England goalkeeper Joe Hart, serving as a BBC Sport pundit, criticised Paraguay’s style of play, calling it “disgraceful.” Meanwhile, France head coach Didier Deschamps was seen pulling Mbappe away from a heated exchange at full-time to prevent any possible disciplinary issues.
Following their victory, France are set to face Morocco at Boston Stadium on 9 July, after the Atlas Lions defeated co-hosts Canada 3-0 to book their place in the quarter-finals.
