Mao Zedong Controversy: Dugarry Points Finger at Mbappé's Entourage and La Liga

Kylian Mbappé lost three commercial contracts in China and drew a public rebuke from La Liga following remarks made in April on the podcast The Bridge, in which he referenced memes comparing him to Mao Zedong. La Liga president Javier Tebas officially distanced himself from the Real Madrid striker, who has since apologized.

When asked about the matter, Christophe Dugarry chose to distribute responsibility rather than blame the player alone. The pundit first criticized Mbappé’s communication record: “That’s a lot of communication mistakes for a guy who was supposed to be a communication specialist. I think that’s a lot, a lot, a lot.”

But the 1998 World Cup winner did not stop there. He called out the player’s entourage, judging their management to be lacking: “There are people who did not assume their responsibilities.” Dugarry also pointed at La Liga itself, arguing it was their duty to inform their clubs of the implications of their partnerships with China and what is acceptable or not for players who speak publicly.

Mbappé’s entourage has faced recent turbulence, and Dugarry sees a direct link to this new crisis: “There have been quite a few things that came out about Kylian Mbappé’s entourage, suggesting things have been a bit shaky lately. Once again, this is proof of that.”

Despite his criticism, the pundit concluded on a more nuanced note, acknowledging the pressure weighing on the French international: “Everyone is against him, from all sides, and he’s a punching bag, the poor guy.”