Kylian Mbappé has apologized for comments he made about late Chinese leader Mao Zedong during an appearance on the French talk show The Bridge, which sparked a fierce backlash in China and led several major Chinese brands to terminate their endorsement deals with the Real Madrid forward.
In the clip, Mbappé referred to a meme featuring his face superimposed on an image resembling Mao, laughing as he described it as the meme "that makes me laugh the most." He did not name Mao directly but called the figure "a Chinese dictator." The segment, hosted by Real Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni, circulated widely on Chinese social media after football forum Dongqiudi flagged the remarks as "inappropriate" and hurtful to Chinese people.
Brand fallout and official response
Within hours, Mengniu, China's largest dairy producer, and drinks giant Dongpeng announced they were cutting ties with Mbappé, citing zero-tolerance policies toward actions that offend national sentiments. State broadcaster CCTV reportedly removed Mbappé-related content from its news apps and halted broadcasts of La Liga matches. La Liga itself issued an apology, saying it "deeply regrets the offence" caused. China's foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that words hurting the feelings of the Chinese people "will naturally be met with opposition."
By Tuesday afternoon, five of the top 10 trending topics on Weibo concerned Mbappé, with the hashtag "multiple brands terminate partnerships with Mbappé" leading the list. The striker, who enjoys immense popularity and multimillion-dollar endorsements in China, released a statement calling his comment "ill-judged" and apologizing to everyone upset by his words.
Why Mao remains a sensitive topic
Mao Zedong, founder of the People's Republic of China, is revered by the Communist Party despite policies such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution that caused tens of millions of deaths. Jokes or memes about Mao are viewed as challenges to the party's guarded historical narrative. Mbappé's nickname "the dictator" — stemming from his influence in football — has fueled similar memes before, including a 2026 World Cup joke by teammate Ousmane Dembélé referencing Mobutu Sese Seko. In a September interview, Mbappé acknowledged that such comparisons "sometimes reveal a lack of political and human awareness."
