Mbappe Cuts Ties With Chinese Brands After Mao Zedong Meme Sparks Backlash

Kylian Mbappe’s casual reference to a Chinese political figure in a video clip has triggered a commercial and media freeze in China. The 27-year-old Real Madrid forward faces immediate financial losses and a halt in state television coverage of his league.

The controversy began when a video from April surfaced on Monday. The clip shows the France captain describing a meme that placed his face on the body of a "Chinese dictator." Although he did not name Mao Zedong, the remark tapped into a popular internet trend where fans edit Mbappe’s image onto military leaders. The video was shared by the podcast The Bridge before being removed.

In China, satire regarding Mao, who ruled from 1949 to 1976, remains a sensitive topic. State media described the comments as inappropriate, and the Global Times questioned why a player profits from the country while disrespecting it. Social media platforms Xiaohongshu and Weibo immediately restricted Mbappe’s accounts, which hold at least one million followers.

Commercial partners reacted quickly. Chinese beverage company Dongpeng announced on Tuesday that it was terminating its contract with Mbappe immediately. It cited a zero-tolerance policy for behavior that offends national sentiments. Dairy producer Mengniu followed suit. Adidas removed jerseys bearing Mbappe’s name from its Beijing flagship store, and reports indicate Dior and Hublot deleted related content from Chinese platforms.

The Paper reported that China’s state television stopped broadcasting all La Liga matches and events involving Mbappe. It also pulled advertisements featuring the player. Terrence Burns, a sports sponsorship expert, noted that Mbappe’s team should have understood the high cost of Chinese brand endorsements. This mirrors a 2019 dispute where China suspended NBA sponsorships over a similar controversy.

Mbappe issued an apology in French, Mandarin, and English on Tuesday. He called his comment ill-judged and stated he now understands it hurt many people. He said he reacted to an image of himself and expressed deep respect for the Chinese people and their history. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Wednesday that China takes the apology seriously.

Real Madrid and La Liga moved to contain the fallout. League president Javier Tebas met with the Chinese ambassador to Spain, calling China a strategic partner. Tebas is considering a trip to China to prevent financial losses for Spanish football. Real Madrid apologized to the Chinese people on Wednesday, stating it maintains deep respect for the country, its history, and its citizens.