Philippe Diallo, the president of the French football federation, has condemned former Paraguay goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert after he referred to the French national team as “a squad from Africa” in a social media post. Diallo described Chilavert’s comments as racist and said they undermined the values of respect, fraternity, and diversity in football.
Diallo's Strong Condemnation
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the racist remarks made by José Luis Chilavert against the French national team, which undermine the values of respect, fraternity, and diversity in our football,” Diallo wrote on social media on Saturday. “If he was once a great goalkeeper, this man has now fallen into disgrace.”
Chilavert's Remarks and Context
Chilavert, 60, made the remarks in the run-up to Paraguay’s last-16 match against France at the World Cup on Saturday. He posted a screenshot of comments attributed to former France forward Christophe Dugarry, who said Paraguay did not stand a chance. Chilavert wrote: “Christophe, you’re right. In 1998 we faced the French and now PY will face a squad from Africa.”
The French team is known for its diversity, with many players such as Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé being children of immigrants from Africa. Dugarry was part of the France team that won the 1998 World Cup, beating Chilavert’s Paraguay 1-0 in the last 16. France won Saturday’s match by the same score.
