Mbappé apologizes for Mao Zedong remarks that upset China

Kylian Mbappé issued a public apology on Tuesday to the Chinese community after his remarks about Mao Zedong triggered a major backlash in China and resulted in the termination of several sponsorship deals.

The controversy began with a video published on “The Bridge,” Aurélien Tchouaméni’s podcast, in which the Real Madrid striker reacted to memes featuring him on social media. Among them was a montage depicting him as a “Chinese dictator.” By describing Mao Zedong — who led China for several decades — in this way, Mbappé provoked an immediate reaction in Beijing, where the term was deemed deeply offensive.

The commercial consequences were swift: several Chinese sponsors announced they would end their collaboration with the player, and similar threats were made against Real Madrid and La Liga, two entities whose exposure on the Chinese market represents considerable financial stakes.

Faced with the scale of the crisis, Mbappé chose to respond personally. “During a recent interview, I reacted to an image of myself. This remark was clumsy and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and within the Chinese community around the world,” he wrote in a statement. “I apologize to all those whose feelings my words have hurt. It was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.”

This episode comes at an already difficult time for the France captain, who was denied the Ballon d’Or by Harry Kane following a close vote, despite being among the favorites to win the trophy for the first time in his career.