China: De-escalation follows Kylian Mbappé's comments on Mao Zedong

Kylian Mbappé faced a backlash and the cancellation of advertising contracts in China after a video circulated online in which the French football star appeared to joke about former historical leader Mao Zedong. On Tuesday, October 27, Mbappé issued "his apologies" and expressed that he was "sincerely sorry." On Wednesday, China stated that it took the apologies presented by the footballer "seriously" as Real Madrid also apologized following the comments made by their player.

Three companies using the name and image of the star, the beverage giants Dongpeng and Mengniu, along with the cheese manufacturer Milkground, announced on Tuesday, October 27, that they had immediately terminated their cooperation with Mbappé. They claimed a "zero tolerance" policy for actions and words "that hurt national feelings."

The issue arose after the dissemination on social media of a video in which the Real Madrid forward discussed memes featuring him. He commented that the funniest meme he had seen was a photoshopped image of his face superimposed on that of someone he believed to be "a Chinese dictator." Initially, AFP's digital verification services could not confirm the authenticity of the video, but it appeared to reference a meme showing the player’s face on an image of Mao Zedong. This montage touched on a central figure in Chinese history, who is officially described as a hero and respected in China.

The video triggered reactions on social media that reflected the sensitivity of the subject and the extent of the athlete's fame. The phrase "Dongpeng terminates collaboration with Mbappé" became a trending topic on the social platform Weibo, garnering 430 million views. One Weibo user commented that such comments in China are extremely serious offenses that have crossed a red line. Dongqiudi, a soccer-specific site, criticized the words as being so "offensive to China and the Chinese people" that it chose not to translate them.

Kylian Mbappé is immensely popular in China, where football attracts significant interest, despite the national team's poor results, having last qualified for the World Cup in 2002. The achievements and lives of football stars are closely followed, and Mbappé boasts 1 million followers on Weibo and 1.1 million on Xiaohongshu (also known as "RedNote"). AI-generated advertisements featuring his image were widely circulated during the recent World Cup by brands that are now distancing themselves from him.

"I apologize to all those my words have hurt. That was absolutely not my intention. I have profound respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry," stated Mbappé in a communication released on Tuesday, October 27, in French, English, and Mandarin, and sent to AFP. He further noted, "During a recent interview, I reacted to an image of myself. That remark was clumsy, and I understand today that it hurt many people in China and within the Chinese community worldwide."

According to the state media outlet The Paper, public television CCTV decided to suspend the broadcasting of all La Liga matches involving Mbappé and to withdraw all advertisements featuring him. AFP could not independently confirm this information. Following this announcement, La Liga expressed its "deep regret" for the offense that Mbappé's recent comments had caused to Chinese supporters and offered apologies on behalf of La Liga and all its clubs.

Mbappé was also reportedly barred from posting on Xiaohongshu "for violating community rules," as his name or likeness had commonly been associated with authoritarian figures on social media due to the influence he is said to wield in the locker room. Nevertheless, China stated on Wednesday that it takes the apologies presented by Kylian Mbappé "seriously." The backlash against the star occurred just after his disappointment at the 2026 Ballon d'Or, awarded to English striker Harry Kane. Real Madrid also formally apologized to China for Mbappé's comments referring to Mao Zedong as a "dictator." "Real Madrid wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for the discomfort caused by the recent statements made by our player Kylian Mbappé. Our club has deep respect for China, its history, culture, and citizens, as well as for the millions of Chinese supporters who hold affection and admiration for Real Madrid," the Spanish club stated in a communication.