Kylian Mbappé has apologised for what he called an "ill-judged" comment about Mao Zedong, the late leader of China, after the remark triggered a backlash there and cost him several commercial partnerships. The Real Madrid forward issued the apology after Chinese brands ended their deals with him and Chinese state media moved to limit coverage of him and his club, according to BBC reporting.
In his statement, Mbappé said he had come to understand that his words had caused hurt "in China and in Chinese communities around the world". Spain's La Liga also issued an apology, saying it deeply regretted the offence the player's remarks had caused among Chinese supporters, the BBC reported.
Why it matters
The episode shows how quickly a single remark can damage a global athlete's standing in one of sport's most valuable markets. China is a major destination for international sports stars, and homegrown companies there have signed multimillion-dollar endorsement agreements with figures including Mbappé, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and NBA player Stephen Curry. For a player whose commercial value rests partly on that market, the loss of partnerships is a direct financial hit.
It also illustrates the sensitivity surrounding Mao, who founded the People's Republic of China in 1949 and governed through turbulent decades until his death in 1976. The party continues to present him as a national icon whose record is beyond challenge, so jokes about him are treated as an attack not only on the leadership but on the official account of the country's history.
What was said, and how the row spread
The comment came during an appearance on the French talk show The Bridge, in an interview hosted by Mbappé's Real Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni. Asked about a meme that amuses him, Mbappé referred to a clip of "a guy, I think it's a Chinese dictator", then laughed as the video cut to an image of his own face placed over a picture resembling Mao. In the circulating clips he does not name Mao directly, and he said he shares the meme with friends regularly. The original video is no longer available on the show's YouTube channel, and it is unclear when the interview was first broadcast, according to the BBC.
The meme draws on a long-running online joke that labels Mbappé a "dictator" because of the sway he holds in football. The row appears to have begun on Monday evening, when the Chinese football forum Dongqiudi highlighted the remarks in a statement describing them as inappropriate and hurtful to Chinese people. Dongqiudi said it could not translate the comments because they were offensive to China and its people.
Screengrabs of the clip then spread rapidly across Chinese social media, where users repeated the criticism and some urged a boycott of the striker and Real Madrid. Some posters blurred both the meme and the phrase they found objectionable, which left many others asking what exactly had been said. By 14:00 local time on Tuesday, five of the ten most-discussed topics on Weibo concerned Mbappé, with a hashtag about brands ending their partnerships with him at the top of the list, the BBC reported.
Criticism from fans focused on the contrast between his commercial gains and his conduct. One widely shared view accused him of making money from the Chinese market while offending its public, while another comment on Weibo argued that international public figures in particular must show greater care because national sentiment should never be treated lightly.
Brands, broadcaster and government respond
As anger built online, Chinese companies began severing ties without explicitly citing the video. Mengniu, the country's largest dairy producer, said it firmly opposed and would not tolerate any words or actions that hurt Chinese people's feelings. Drinks maker Dongpeng released a similar statement, saying it firmly opposed and had zero tolerance for behaviour that offends national sentiment.
State broadcaster CCTV's news apps will not carry content about the French striker, according to the state-owned Global Times, and Chinese media reported on Tuesday that CCTV would also stop showing La Liga matches. Real Madrid plays in the Spanish top flight and is its most successful club, with 36 league titles.
China's foreign ministry also addressed the matter. Spokesperson Lin Jian said the ministry had noted the reports and that remarks offending the feelings of Chinese people would naturally draw opposition from across Chinese society, according to the BBC.
Reaction inside China was not entirely one-sided. A small number of people spoke up for Mbappé on Chinese social media, though the BBC noted such a response is unusual given the tight controls on the country's internet, where users are expected to follow the party and government position on sensitive subjects.
The wider record behind the sensitivity
Mao's rule included the Great Leap Forward, his push for rapid industrialisation, which was followed by a famine that killed tens of millions of people. The Cultural Revolution that came afterwards was a violent campaign against anyone seen as a threat to Communism, targeting intellectuals, landowners, artists and often rivals inside the Party itself. After his death in 1976, China entered a new period and began opening to the global economy. Even as the country moved away from his policies, the party continued to honour him as a national symbol whose legacy could not be questioned.
Mbappé is widely considered among the best footballers in the world. His speed, scoring record and global following have made him a major commercial figure whose reach extends into fashion, culture and business, and his influence at the clubs he has represented has fuelled the "dictator" nickname behind the meme. In 2024 he sued a French influencer and kebab shop owner over the use of his name in the description of a sandwich, the BBC reported.
Attention now turns to whether other partners follow the Chinese brands out, and whether CCTV restores La Liga coverage.
