French football star Kylian Mbappé is facing growing backlash in China following remarks apparently referring to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a dictator, prompting sponsors to end partnerships with him and disrupting Spanish football broadcasts.
China’s state broadcaster, China Central Television (CCTV), has warned that the Real Madrid forward’s apology would ultimately be judged by his subsequent actions.
“We will listen to his words, but watch his actions even more closely,” an unnamed China Media Group representative said on October 27, urging Mbappé, Real Madrid and La Liga to learn from the incident and change their approach.
A day earlier, CCTV had suspended coverage of La Liga and matches involving the French forward, while also withdrawing advertisements featuring him. His accounts on Chinese social media platforms Xiaohongshu and Weibo were subsequently muted, according to Renmin Ruiping, People’s Daily’s online commentary platform.
As of October 28, the resumption of broadcasts and the lifting of the social media restrictions could not be independently confirmed.
The controversy followed the circulation of a clip from the French programme The Bridge, in which Mbappé discussed a meme showing his face superimposed on that of Mao Zedong, the late chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and founding leader of the People’s Republic of China.
In the clip, Mbappé reportedly described the funniest meme he had seen of himself as one showing his face superimposed on that of “some guy—I think he’s a Chinese dictator,” according to Reuters. The news agency said it could not independently authenticate the video.
Mbappé subsequently apologised in Chinese, French and English in a statement posted on X on October 27, acknowledging that his comments were ill-judged and had hurt Chinese communities around the world.
“I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry,” the footballer said.
La Liga also issued a statement expressing deep regret over the hurt caused to Chinese fans by the remarks. The Spanish league stressed that Mbappé’s personal views did not represent its position.
The controversy has also triggered commercial consequences, with several companies announcing the termination of their partnerships with the footballer.
Dongpeng Beverage, Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground ended their partnerships with Mbappé, according to company statements compiled by China.org.cn.
Dongpeng’s sports drink brand, Bushuila, had unveiled Mbappé as its ambassador in April 2026.
Swiss sportswear brand On and luxury fashion house Dior have also reportedly removed Chinese promotional content featuring the player. However, neither company had announced a global termination of its relationship with him, according to Chinese news outlet Phoenix.
Mbappé had approximately one million followers each on Xiaohongshu and Weibo. Reuters reported that four topics relating to the footballer featured among Weibo’s top 10 searches on October 27, reflecting the controversy’s prominence on the platform.
Criticism has also come from People’s Daily, the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Committee, through its online commentary platform, Renmin Ruiping.
The commentary argued that celebrities who cross public boundaries could become liabilities for brands, adding that companies and individuals seeking to profit from the Chinese market while offending the public’s cherished history and culture would not be accepted.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, also addressed the controversy, saying the ministry was aware of the reports.
“Words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with joint opposition from all sectors of Chinese society,” Guo said.
Boluwatife Enome
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