French Football Chief Urges Support for Mbappe Amidst China Controversy

French Football Federation chief Philippe Diallo has stated that Kylian Mbappe should be allowed to move past the controversy surrounding his remarks about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Diallo emphasized that Mbappe has apologized and did not intend any offense.

The incident has also seen apologies from Mbappe's club, Real Madrid, and La Liga. La Liga president Javier Tebas has established a crisis unit and met with the Chinese ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing, to manage the situation's fallout.

This backlash underscores the sensitivities within the lucrative Chinese market, where discussions or satire concerning Mao Zedong, China's founding leader from 1949 to 1976, remain a social taboo. China Daily noted that Mbappe's comment had angered Chinese fans, jeopardized his commercial relationships, and highlighted the limits of celebrity influence.

Consequently, China's state-owned broadcaster Migu will not be showing Real Madrid's upcoming game against Racing Santander. Additionally, Chinese brands such as Mengniu, Shanghai Milkground Food Tech, and Eastroc Beverage have suspended all collaborations with Mbappe.

Diallo expressed his hope for a swift resolution, stating, "It is a controversy which, ultimately, should not, I hope, last because Kylian has very well explained the context in which this intervention took place. He has apologised." He added, "I believe we should now leave it at that so that he can continue his season in the best possible conditions."

The controversy originated from a widely circulated joke related to Mbappe's influence at the club level. In a now-removed video from a French podcast, the 27-year-old Mbappe discussed a meme where his face was superimposed onto that of "some guy," whom he identified as a "Chinese dictator." This follows a pattern where fans have created memes placing Mbappe's face on military and political leaders to suggest his decision-making power within his teams, leading to him being nicknamed "the dictator" in the European press.

A spokesperson for China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the government is taking Mbappe's apology "seriously."