Kylian Mbappe has apologised for comments about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong after the remarks caused outrage on Chinese social media and prompted several brands to distance themselves from the Real Madrid forward.
The France captain acknowledged that his words had offended people in China and Chinese communities worldwide, saying he now understood the impact of his comments
“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.”
The controversy stems from an appearance on French talk show The Bridge, during which Mbappé discussed an internet meme that superimposes his face onto an image resembling Mao. The joke forms part of a running online trend portraying the forward as a “dictator” because of his influence in football.
Chinese brands react to controversy
The comments triggered criticism after Chinese football platform Dongqiudi highlighted them on Monday, describing the remarks as inappropriate and offensive to Chinese people.
Clips and screenshots subsequently circulated widely online, with some users calling for a boycott of Mbappé and Real Madrid.
Several Chinese companies announced that they opposed behaviour that offended national sentiment, although their statements did not explicitly mention the video.
Mengniu, one of China’s largest dairy producers, said it had a zero-tolerance policy towards words or actions that hurt the feelings of Chinese people. Drinks company Dongpeng issued a similar statement.
According to reports in Chinese media, state broadcaster CCTV will also stop showing Spanish La Liga matches, while its news applications will not feature content related to Mbappé.
Spain’s La Liga also issued an apology over the controversy, saying it “deeply regrets the offence that Kylian Mbappé’s recent comments have caused among Chinese fans”.
The original interview was no longer available on the show’s YouTube channel, and it remained unclear when the programme was first broadcast. In the circulating clips, Mbappé did not identify Mao by name.
Mao’s legacy remains sensitive in China
Mao founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949 and led the country through campaigns that caused widespread suffering and millions of deaths, including the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution.
Despite the devastation associated with his rule, Mao remains a central figure in the Chinese Communist Party’s official national narrative. References to him are particularly sensitive in a country where public discussion of political history is tightly controlled.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Beijing had noted reports of the controversy, adding that remarks hurting the feelings of Chinese people would naturally face opposition within Chinese society.
The backlash threatens Mbappé’s commercial relationships in a major market for international sports stars. By Tuesday afternoon, several of Weibo’s top trending topics focused on the controversy, including one concerning brands ending partnerships with the footballer.
The incident has also revived discussion about the memes surrounding Mbappé’s influence and the limits of humour involving historical figures associated with mass suffering.
In a September interview with France Football, Mbappé acknowledged that such comparisons could cross a line, saying they sometimes reflected a lack of political and human awareness.
“Being compared to people who murder others, or who have made millions upon millions of people miserable… I don’t think I’ve done that in my life,” he said.