Kylian Mbappe Apologizes to Chinese Fans After 'Dictator' Remark Sparks Backlash and Sponsorship Losses

Kylian Mbappe has issued an apology for an "ill-judged" comment referencing Mao Zedong, which has angered Chinese football fans and led to the termination of at least two sponsorship deals in the country. The French football star was dropped by two major brands in China on Tuesday following the circulation of a video online. In the clip, Mbappe appears to joke about a former Chinese leader, though he did not explicitly name Mao. He is heard saying the funniest internet meme he had seen featured his face digitally altered onto that of “some guy – I think he’s a Chinese dictator”.

“My comment was ill-judged and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” Mbappe stated in a message shared on his social media accounts. The 27-year-old explained that he was “reacting to an image of myself” during the interview. “I apologise to everyone my words have upset,” he added. “This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.” The statement was released in French, Mandarin, and English.

The video, which reportedly shows Mbappe preparing to go on air, was allegedly filmed in April, as verified by Al Jazeera. The clip was initially shared by French football podcast The Bridge and subsequently went viral on social media on Monday.

La Liga Issues Apology Amidst Controversy

The significant backlash stemming from the Real Madrid forward’s remarks prompted La Liga to issue an apology on behalf of the league and the club. The Spanish league condemned the remarks and apologized to China after the player was dropped by two Chinese brands.

“La Liga deeply regrets the offence that Kylian Mbappe’s recent comments have caused among Chinese fans. These comments were made in a personal capacity and do not represent La Liga,” the league stated. La Liga president Javier Tebas also issued an apology on X, expressing the organization’s deep regret over the alleged comments that “have caused discomfort and offence in China”.

“We are taking the measures within our reach and working directly with our partners and interlocutors in China to overcome this situation,” Tebas wrote. “A relationship built over so many years cannot be damaged by a single episode.”

Sponsorships Terminated

Chinese drinks giant Dongpeng has terminated its contract with Mbappe “with immediate effect”. The company stated, “Our company firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments.” Advertisements featuring AI-generated images of the France captain drinking a Dongpeng sports drink were previously common in China during this year’s FIFA World Cup.

Mengniu, China’s largest dairy producer, also severed ties with Mbappe, who was previously highly popular among Chinese fans with millions of followers on social media.

Cultural Sensitivity and Celebrity Influence

In China, satire or jokes concerning Mao, the country’s founding leader who governed from 1949 until his death in 1976, are considered highly disrespectful and remain a significant social taboo. State media outlet China Daily commented, “A remark about an internet meme has triggered a backlash among his Chinese fans, threatened his lucrative commercial relationships and offered a sharp reminder of the ‌‌limits of celebrity influence.”

Mbappe, recognized as one of the world’s most prominent athletes with associations to brands like On Holding, Accor, and Lego, has become the latest sports figure to face repercussions for a cultural misstep in China. Many Chinese media outlets condemned Mbappe’s apparent remarks without repeating them. The state-backed Global Times noted, “What did he say? Many Chinese would rather not repeat it.” The publication added, “The message from Chinese consumers is clear: Respect is not optional; one doesn’t get to profit from China while disrespecting it. Not a chance.”

China’s state television has reportedly halted broadcasts of all matches and events involving La Liga and Mbappe, and all advertisements featuring Mbappe have been removed, according to the state-backed media outlet The Paper. As of 07:00 GMT, four topics related to Mbappe were trending on China’s social media platform Weibo, with some netizens calling for China to “blacklist” Mbappe and reduce his commercial value to zero, receiving significant support.

When questioned about the incident, a spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people “will naturally be met with joint opposition from all sectors of Chinese society”.