Kylian Mbappé has apologized for "ill-judged" comments referencing former Chinese leader Mao Zedong that triggered a swift backlash in China, including several brands dropping their partnerships with the Real Madrid forward.
In a clip from the French talk show The Bridge that circulated widely on Chinese social media, Mbappé is shown laughing at a meme that superimposes his face on footage he described as "a Chinese dictator," part of a running joke among fans who nickname him a "dictator" because of his outsized influence on the pitch. He did not name Mao directly in the circulating clips, but the reference was unmistakable to many Chinese viewers.
A sensitive subject, a swift reaction
"My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world," Mbappé said in a statement. "I apologise to everyone my words have upset." Spain's La Liga also issued an apology, saying it "deeply regrets the offence that Kylian Mbappé's recent comments have caused among Chinese fans."
Mao remains a revered figure within China's Communist Party despite a rule marked by chaos and mass death, and the backlash moved quickly once the Chinese football forum Dongqiudi flagged the comments as "inappropriate" and said they "hurt the feelings of Chinese people." Screengrabs and the meme spread rapidly afterward, with some social media users calling for a boycott of both Mbappé and Real Madrid, while others blurred the clip or the offending phrase when sharing it. Several Chinese brands moved quickly to end their endorsement deals with the striker, underscoring how little room exists in China's tightly controlled internet for jokes touching its most sensitive historical figures.