Paraguay legend José Luis Chilavert makes vile racist comments ahead of France World Cup match

Former Paraguay goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert has caused uproar after making racist comments about the France national team hours before their World Cup match.

Les Bleus have enjoyed a thrilling start to the competition, scoring more goals than any other nation with 13 in their four games to date.

Their dazzling attack of Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappe has left opponents in a daze and made them firm favourites to lift the trophy.

After sweeping aside Sweden in their last 32 match, they take on Paraguay tonight after the South American nation beat Germany on penalties to reach the last 16.

The two nations met at the same stage of the competition in 1998 with Christophe Dugarry part of the French squad that night. France got the win and went onto lift the trophy on home turf.

Speaking on French television ahead of the game, the former forward predicted ‘a beating’ for Paraguay in Philadelphia, also taking aim at their defensive tactics having sat back and frustrated Germany in their last match.

‘They’ll want to defend because they’re incapable of creating any attacking play,’ he said. ‘Offensively, it’s a disaster. All they’ll do is defend and foul.’

Chilavert, who was in goal for Paraguay in 1998 and is one of his nation’s greatest ever players, responded to Dugarry’s comments on social media.

He wrote: ‘Christophe, you’re right, at the 1998 World Cup we faced the French and now Paraguay will face an African team.’

Chilavert has a history of vile comments. In 2024, he called Real Madrid and Brazil superstar Vinicius Jr a ‘f****t’ after he broke down in tears discussing the racist abuse he has suffered while playing in Spain.

France were runners up in the World Cup in 2022 after losing on penalties to Argentina. Six months later after Argentina beat Colombia in the Copa America final, video footage emerged of the team appearing to sing a racist song about French players with African heritage.

The winners of France vs Paraguay will take on Canada or Morocco in the quarter-finals of the competition.

Temperatures are expect to soar to 38C in tonight’s game with an extreme heat warning in place.

‘It is something we need to take into account, but I think every team has prepared for it. It can have an impact on all the teams,’ said Didier Deschamps.

‘This will be our fifth game at the tournament and that will have an impact as well, but I am not fixated on the heat.’

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