French football superstar Kylian Mbappe has formally apologized for an ill-judged comment that sparked intense backlash among Chinese fans, resulting in the termination of at least two lucrative sponsorship agreements. The controversy stems from a video, verified by analysts to have been filmed in April, which resurfaced on social media via the French podcast The Bridge. In the clip, Mbappe is seen discussing internet memes, during which he referenced a digitally altered image of himself as “some guy – I think he’s a Chinese dictator.”
Although the 27-year-old forward did not explicitly name Mao Zedong, the reference was widely perceived as a mockery of China’s founding leader, whose legacy remains a deeply sensitive social taboo in the nation. In China, satire or jokes about Mao, the country’s founding leader who ruled it from 1949 until his death in 1976, are considered disrespectful and remain a social taboo.
In a statement released across his social media platforms in English, French, and Mandarin, Mbappe expressed sincere regret.
He clarified that he was merely reacting to an image of himself and insisted that the offense caused was entirely unintentional. “I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry,” he stated, acknowledging that his words hurt many within China and the global Chinese community. “The message from Chinese consumers is clear: Respect is not optional; one doesn’t get to profit from China while disrespecting it.
The incident has had immediate commercial consequences for the athlete. Dongpeng, a major Chinese beverage company, terminated its contract with Mbappe effective immediately, citing a zero-tolerance policy toward any behavior that offends national sentiment. Similarly, Mengniu, China’s largest dairy producer, severed ties with the forward. Before this controversy, Mbappe held a significant commercial presence in China, bolstered by his immense popularity and millions of social media followers.
La Liga also took swift action to distance itself from the player’s remarks. The Spanish league issued an apology to Chinese fans, emphasizing that the comments were personal and did not reflect the organization’s values. League President Javier Tebas expressed deep regret over the discomfort caused, stating that the organization is working directly with Chinese partners to mitigate the situation. Tebas maintained that a relationship built over many years should not be dismantled by a single episode. The maelstrom caused by the Real Madrid forward’s comments prompted La Liga to issue an apology on behalf of the league and the club. These comments received hundreds of likes.
The public reaction in China has been severe. By 07:00 GMT on the day following the video’s circulation, four topics related to Mbappe remained among the top 10 trending searches on Weibo. Some social media users actively campaigned for a total blacklist of the player, suggesting his commercial value in the region should be reduced to zero. State-backed media outlet Global Times noted that the remark was so offensive that many Chinese citizens preferred not to repeat the content. “I apologise to everyone my words have upset,” Mbappe went on to add. “This was absolutely not my intention.
China Daily framed the incident as a stark reminder of the limits of celebrity influence, highlighting that consumers expect respect as a prerequisite for commercial success.
When questioned about the fallout, a spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that actions hurting the feelings of the Chinese public will naturally be met with joint opposition from all sectors of society. Mbappe, who holds partnerships with various global brands including On Holding, Accor, and Lego, now faces the difficult challenge of repairing his reputation in one of the world’s largest consumer markets. Mbappe – one of the world’s most prominent athletes who has ties to firms from sportswear brand On Holding to hotel chain Accor and toy maker Lego – became the latest sports star to fall foul of a faux pas in China.
