Media365
Amitabh Bachchan is facing backlash over an X post about the ongoing FIFA World Cup. The Bollywood megastar posted about the French football team, writing, “The French WC 2026 football team .. the FRENCH!! 11 players in team. 10 Black. 1 white !!? The POWER of BLACK (sic).” Netizens corrected Big B on his words, mentioning that people of colour were not playing in the national team of France because of their ethnicity, but talent.
Several on the internet argued that members of the French national team represent their nation regardless of their ethnic backgrounds, pointing out that the country’s football squad has long reflected its multicultural society. Others questioned why the players’ skin colour was relevant to the discussion at all, saying nationality and not race should define an international team.
A section of social media users suggested that Big B’s post had racist undertones.
A netizen said, “On the playground, color, race, or identity don’t matter—only hard work and the team’s performance determine victory. The power of football is the real strength (sic).” Another wrote, “When sweat flows on the field, Amit sir, it carries no color. It is simply the color of victory (sic).”
Earlier, Paraguayan Senator Celeste Amarilla called France captain Kylian Mbappe a “colonised Cameroonian pretending hard to be French, resentful, newly rich, arrogant and ugly”. Amarilla also said that France “won by a fluke” against Paraguay in their fixture during the Round of 16. Amarilla said that “Mbappe was nervous and scared to death the whole match, like his entire team.” This invited widespread criticism, including harsh denunciation from FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Meanwhile, France is also a top favourite to win the World Cup 2026. Their campaign, headed by coach Didier Deschamps, has been without a loss so far. The team has advanced to the quarter-finals, where they will face off against Morocco. The match is scheduled for July 10.
