Mbappe apologises to China after three brands cut ties over Mao Zedong meme

Mbappe apologises to China after three brands cut ties over Mao Zedong meme - French football star Kylian Mbappe at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (Photo: FIFA)

Mao led China from the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949 until he died in 1976. He remains a prominent figure in the country’s political history, and jokes about him are widely considered disrespectful.

French football star Kylian Mbappe has apologised to Chinese people after a video showing him discussing a meme featuring his face edited onto an image of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong sparked widespread criticism.

The controversy centres on a video in which Mbappe discusses an internet meme showing his face digitally superimposed on Mao’s image. Mbappe described it as the funniest meme he had seen, referring to the figure as “some guy – I think he’s a Chinese dictator”.

While Mbappe did not name Mao directly, the image and his reference to a Chinese dictator pointed to the former leader, whose legacy remains a sensitive subject in China. Mao led China from the establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949 until he died in 1976. He remains a prominent figure in the country’s political history, and jokes about him are widely considered disrespectful.

In a statement on Tuesday, published in French, Mandarin and English, Mbappe acknowledged the impact of his words and apologised to those offended by them.

“My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” he said.

“I 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.”

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The apology followed the termination of commercial partnerships involving three Chinese companies: beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy producer Mengniu and cheesemaker Milkground. The companies announced they were ending their relationships with the Real Madrid forward amid growing criticism of remarks they considered offensive to Chinese people.

The controversy has also drawn in Spain’s La Liga, where Mbappe plays for Real Madrid. The league distanced itself from the remarks, saying they were personal and did not represent the organisation. La Liga president Javier Tebas also expressed regret over the offence caused and said the league was working with its Chinese partners to address the fallout.

Meanwhile, Chinese media outlet The Paper reported that state broadcaster CCTV had suspended broadcasts of La Liga matches, while advertisements featuring Mbappe were also reportedly being removed.