Mbappé sorry for 'ill-judged' Mao remark after backlash in China

Kylian Mbappé has apologised for "ill-judged" comments he made about late Chinese leader Mao Zedong which led to him being dropped by several Chinese brands.

Mbappé had reportedly told French talk show The Bridge the meme "that makes me laugh the most, it's the one where there's a video of a guy, I think it's a Chinese dictator..." He then laughs as the programme cuts to a meme showing his face superimposed on an image resembling Mao.

"My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world," Mbappé said in a statement.

Spain's La Liga also apologised, saying it "deeply regrets the offence that Kylian Mbappé's recent comments have caused among Chinese fans".

The joke did not go down well in China, where Mao is revered by the Communist Party, despite his chaotic and often violent rule that left millions dead.

A few people came out in support of him on Chinese social media, but this is a rare response given China's tightly controlled internet, where people are expected to toe the party and government line on sensitive topics.

Few topics are as sensitive as Mao, which may explain why brands were so quick to terminate partnerships with a global sports star like Mbappé.

The original video is not available on the show's YouTube channel, and it's unclear when the interview hosted by Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni first aired. In clips that have been circulating online, Mbappé does not identify Mao by name. He says he "uses [the meme] with friends all the time".

The furore appeared to kick off on Monday night after Chinese football forum Dongqiudi drew attention to the comments in a statement, saying they were "inappropriate" and "hurt the feelings of Chinese people".

Screengrabs of the clip and meme have since spread quickly on Chinese social media, with people echoing this sentiment and even calling for a boycott of both the French striker and his club, Real Madrid.

But some have blurred the meme itself as well as the part of the comment they found offensive, when Mbappe refers to "a Chinese dictator".

Many people are therefore also wondering what exactly Mbappe said and have responded to the angry posts and comments with questions, wanting to know more.

Chinese fans have been criticising Mbappé – who is popular in China and has huge brand endorsements – of "profiting from the Chinese market yet making remarks that offend the Chinese public".

As the anger online grew louder, Chinese brands began to cut ties, although they did not explicitly refer to the video.

The country's largest dairy producer, Mengniu, said it "firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people".

According to state-owned newspaper The Global Times, state broadcaster CCTV's news apps will not feature content related to the French striker. CCTV will also stop showing La Liga matches, Chinese media reported on Tuesday. Real Madrid is one of 20 clubs that play in the Spanish football league and is the most decorated team with 36 league titles.

China's foreign ministry has also weighed in, with spokesperson Lin Jian saying: "We have noted the relevant reports. Words and deeds that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with opposition from all sectors of Chinese society."

It's unclear when the Mbappé meme involving Mao began but his nickname, "the dictator", has made the striker the subject of many memes and jokes online.

In 2024, he sued a French influencer and kebab shop owner for using his name in the description of one of the shop's sandwiches, leading to more jokes about the nickname.

France teammate Ousmane Dembele jumped on the trend during the 2026 World Cup, calling Mbappé Mobut – a reference to Mobutu Sese Seko, the dictator who ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire, for three decades.

In an interview with France Football in September, Mbappé acknowledged the light-heartedness behind many of these memes, but said they "sometimes reveal a lack of political and human awareness among people".

Additional reporting by Fan Wang and Osmond Chia