Kylian Mbappe Apologizes After Mao Zedong Comments Spark China Boycott
Kylian Mbappe apologized after referring to Mao Zedong as a Chinese dictator, leading Chinese sponsors to terminate contracts and state media to suspend his matches.
French soccer star Kylian Mbappe issued public apologies in Chinese, French, and English after referring to Mao Zedong as a "Chinese dictator" during an interview on the French talk show The Bridge. The comments, made while reacting to a meme superimposing his face onto the founding leader of communist China, triggered a massive backlash across China.
In response, several major Chinese companies terminated their partnerships with the Real Madrid forward, citing zero-tolerance policies toward behavior that offends national sentiments. These included China Mengniu Dairy Co., Eastroc Beverage Group (Dongpeng), and Milkground. Global brands Dior and Hublot also reportedly removed promotional content featuring Mbappe from Chinese platforms, and Adidas flagship stores in Beijing removed his name from merchandise.
State-led sanctions followed, with China Central Television (CCTV) suspending broadcasts of La Liga matches featuring Mbappe and removing his advertisements. Social media platforms Weibo and Xiaohongshu muted or suspended his accounts. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China warned that actions hurting the feelings of the Chinese people would meet joint opposition, though the government later stated it took Mbappe's apology "seriously."
To mitigate the diplomatic and commercial fallout, Real Madrid CF and La Liga issued formal apologies. La Liga President Javier Tebas expressed deep respect for China's institutions and announced a new communication protocol to prevent future incidents. Mbappe described his comments as "ill-judged" and stated he has "deep respect for the Chinese people and their history."
