French football star Kylian Mbappé has apologised after comments about a meme depicting him as Chinese leader Mao Zedong sparked backlash in China, costing him commercial partnerships with at least three companies.
The controversy began when a video from a now-removed French podcast circulated online, showing the Real Madrid forward discussing some of his favourite internet memes.
While describing one image, Mbappé referred to the person depicted as “some guy” whom he thought was a “Chinese dictator”.
https://t.co/MQBo9NCSy5
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) October 27, 2026
An altered image featuring Mbappé’s face superimposed on Mao was then shown. The footballer did not explicitly name Mao in his remarks.
His comments drew criticism in China, where Mao, who founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949 and led the country until his death in 1976, remains a politically sensitive historical figure.
The backlash spilled into Mbappé’s commercial relationships, with beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy company Mengniu and cheese producer Shanghai Milkground Food Tech ending their partnerships with the footballer.
Mbappé later apologised, acknowledging that his remarks had caused offence.
“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.
He expressed regret, saying he had not intended to offend Chinese people, and affirmed his respect for the country and its history.
The fallout reportedly extended beyond sponsorship deals, with China Media Group suspending broadcasts of Spanish La Liga matches and events involving Mbappé. Advertisements featuring the footballer were also removed.
The Chinese Football Association also demanded a formal public apology.
The 27-year-old is among football’s biggest stars and currently plays for Real Madrid.
He first rose to prominence at AS Monaco before joining Paris Saint-Germain, where he became the club’s all-time leading goalscorer. He moved to Real Madrid in 2024.
At international level, Mbappé helped France win the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He also scored a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina, although France lost on penalties.
