Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappé has apologised after several major Chinese brands reportedly ended their partnerships with him over a viral video in which he appeared to make a joke about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
The controversy has also drawn a response from La Liga, sparked widespread debate on Chinese social media and reportedly prompted a suspension of Spanish league match broadcasts by Chinese public television.
The incident began when Mbappé was asked about the funniest internet meme he had seen featuring himself.
Responding, the France captain described an image in which his face had been superimposed on that of “some guy – I think he’s a Chinese dictator”.
The remark appeared to refer to a viral meme depicting Mbappé as Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the People’s Republic of China, who died in 1976.
Mbappé Issues Apology
Following the backlash, Mbappé issued an apology in French, Chinese and English, acknowledging that his comments had offended people in China and Chinese communities around the world.
“My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologise to everyone my words have upset,” he said.
La Liga also expressed regret over the controversy, apologising to Chinese fans who were offended by the remarks.
The Spanish football league clarified that Mbappé had spoken in a personal capacity and that his comments did not represent the organisation’s position.
Meanwhile, Chinese state-run digital newspaper The Paper reported that public television was suspending broadcasts of La Liga matches following the controversy.
Chinese Brands End Partnerships
Several prominent Chinese companies have reportedly severed commercial ties with the football star.
Beverage company Dongpeng announced that it was ending all cooperation with Mbappé, who had featured in its promotional campaigns, including advertisements using AI-generated images of him drinking its sports beverage during this year’s World Cup.
The company said it maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards conduct it considered offensive to national sentiments.
Dairy producer Mengniu and cheese manufacturer Milkground also announced that they were cutting ties with the Real Madrid forward.
The decisions triggered intense discussion on Chinese social media, particularly Weibo, where the phrase “Dongpeng Beverage ends cooperation with Mbappé” reportedly topped trending topics and attracted approximately 430 million views.
Some users accused the footballer of crossing a red line, while others demanded that Dongpeng remove his image from its product packaging.
Dongqiudi, one of China’s major online football platforms, also criticised the remarks as offensive to China and its people.
China Reacts to Controversy
China’s foreign ministry confirmed that it was aware of reports concerning the footballer’s comments.
During a regular press briefing, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people would naturally face widespread rejection from Chinese society.
Mao remains a sensitive political figure in China. Although he is widely associated with the founding of modern China, historians have linked policies implemented during his rule to mass starvation and millions of deaths.
The controversy follows an earlier interview Mbappé gave to French sports newspaper L’Équipe, in which he discussed a separate meme portraying him as a military dictator.
At the time, he reportedly said part of the meme was funny but expressed discomfort with imagery associated with historical figures responsible for widespread suffering.
The latest incident has raised questions about the potential consequences for international celebrities when their public comments offend audiences in major commercial markets such as China.
