Kylian Mbappe Sparks Controversy in China Over Mao Zedong Comments, Leading to Sponsorship and Broadcast Fallout

Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe finds himself at the center of a significant controversy in China following remarks he made about the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong. The comments have not only resulted in the loss of several commercial deals but have also led to China's state television suspending broadcasts of La Liga. This backlash underscores the considerable risks for athletes and brands operating within the lucrative Chinese market, where any form of satire concerning Mao, the founding leader of modern China who governed from 1949 until his death in 1976, is considered a profound social taboo.

Mbappe, once celebrated as a footballing prodigy and widely admired in China, has seen his popularity plummet among the country's 1.4 billion population due to this controversy. Despite issuing an apology, the French international struggled to quell the anger expressed on Chinese social media platforms.

What did Mbappe say about Mao?

A video that circulated online appeared to show France's 2018 World Cup winner, Kylian Mbappe, making a joke about a former Chinese leader. While Mbappe did not explicitly name Mao in the video, he seemed to refer to the funniest internet meme he had encountered, which involved his face being digitally superimposed onto that of "some guy – I think he’s a Chinese dictator." Al Jazeera verified that the video, showing Mbappe preparing to go on air, was purportedly filmed in April. The clip was initially shared by the French football podcast The Bridge and gained widespread traction on social media on Monday before being taken down.

What are the ‘dictator Mbappe’ memes?

Previously, fans had created memes that superimposed Mbappe’s likeness onto images of military and political figures, suggesting he possessed the power to influence team decisions. Mbappe himself, who has been dubbed "the dictator" in the European press, acknowledged the humor in such comparisons last month but expressed his discomfort with being associated with figures linked to historical tragedies. He stated in an interview with French sports newspaper L’Equipe, "There’s a part of it that’s funny. You can tell that, for some people, it’s all in good fun. But there is another part that’s a bit less funny because of the damage such people have caused throughout history." The "dictator Mbappe" memes originated as caricatures of his influence at Paris Saint-Germain, not as endorsements of political ideologies. However, by seemingly laughing at an image depicting him as Mao, the French captain ventured into territory where self-mockery could be interpreted as an insult to a nation's founding leader.

How did China react to Mbappe’s Mao comments?

Mbappe's original joke was not reposted, or had been removed, from China's heavily regulated social media. State media outlets referred to the incident as "inappropriate remarks concerning China" rather than mentioning Mao directly. Nevertheless, Mbappe faced intense criticism from China. One user on the social media platform Weibo wrote, "His remarks were hurtful toward China and the Chinese people, so they cannot be translated." Chinese social media app Xiaohongshu froze Mbappe’s account, which had over a million followers, preventing new followers. A similar action was taken on the Weibo app, with a notice stating, "the user has been banned from following due to violating laws or the Weibo Community Convention."

What has the Chinese media said about Mbappe?

In China, satire or jokes about Mao are regarded as deeply disrespectful. 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 has become the latest prominent athlete 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 stated, "What did he say? Many Chinese would rather not repeat it." The outlet 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."

Which Chinese brands have cut ties with Mbappe?

Two major Chinese brands, Dongpeng and Mengniu, terminated their contracts with the French football star. Chinese drinks giant Dongpeng announced on Tuesday that it had ended its contract with Mbappe "with immediate effect," issuing a statement that "Our company firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments." Advertisements featuring AI-generated images of Mbappe consuming a Dongpeng sports drink were frequently displayed in China during the World Cup. Mengniu, China's largest dairy producer, also severed ties with Mbappe, who had been exceptionally popular among Chinese fans with millions of social media followers prior to this incident. Some Chinese media reports indicated that global brands such as Dior and Hublot had removed Mbappe-related content from Weibo. The impact extended offline, with Mbappe's branding reportedly being removed from stores. AFP news agency observed that at the Adidas flagship store in Beijing's Sanlitun shopping district, Real Madrid jerseys were available, but none bore Mbappe's name.

What did Mbappe say in his apology?

Mbappe issued an apology for his "ill-judged" comment, acknowledging that he understood it had caused hurt to the Chinese people. In a statement published on his social media accounts on Tuesday, the 27-year-old wrote, "My comment was ill-judged and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world." He explained that he "reacted to an image of myself" during the interview and "apologise to everyone my words have upset. 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.

What has China said in response to Mbappe’s apology?

China acknowledged Mbappe's apology on Wednesday, with foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stating at a regular briefing, "We take seriously the apology the individual concerned has made."

Are La Liga broadcasts paused in China after Mbappe comment?

Yes, China's state television has suspended broadcasts of all matches and events involving La Liga and Mbappe. All advertisements featuring Mbappe have also been removed, according to the state-backed media outlet The Paper. Terrence Burns, sports sponsorship expert and CEO of the T Burns Sports Group, commented, "Mbappe’s team knew, or should have known, what the true cost of Chinese brand endorsements was all about." Global sporting figures who have commented on sensitive topics such as Taiwan, Tibet, and Hong Kong have previously faced controversy in China and been dropped by sponsors. The NBA experienced a similar situation when China suspended sponsorship deals and its state broadcaster pulled NBA games off Chinese television for a year in October 2019.

How has La Liga reacted to their own Mbappe-China crisis?

La Liga President Javier Tebas stated that he met with the ambassador of China in Spain to address the situation and "seek solutions that allow us to overcome this episode." Tebas added in a social media post, "Our commitment is to keep working together so that an individual episode does not harm the important advances achieved nor affect the millions of Chinese fans who follow our competitions. China is and will continue to be a strategic partner for La Liga." Earlier on Tuesday, Tebas issued an apology, expressing La Liga's deep regret for the alleged comments that caused discomfort and offense in China. Reuters reported on Wednesday that Tebas was considering traveling to China to mitigate the potential for significant financial losses for Spanish football. Tebas and Real Madrid, despite a strained relationship due to internal power struggles within Spanish football, have set aside their differences, recognizing the immediate and long-term financial implications of Mbappe’s comments.

What has Real Madrid said about the Mbappe-China controversy?

Real Madrid issued an apology on Wednesday, stating, "Real Madrid CF wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for any discomfort caused by the recent words of our player Kylian Mbappe." The club added, "Our club maintains a deep respect for China, its history, its culture and its citizens, as well as for the millions of Chinese fans who feel affection and admiration for Real Madrid."