Mbappe Drops Chinese Brands After Joke

Kylian Mbappe has lost several major Chinese sponsors following a viral podcast clip in which he referred to Mao Zedong as a dictator.

The 27-year-old Real Madrid forward appeared on a French podcast where he discussed a meme that superimposed his face onto that of Mao, the founder of modern China who led the nation from 1949 to 1976. In the video, which has since been removed, Mbappe described the figure as a Chinese dictator. The remark triggered immediate backlash from fans and commercial partners in Asia.

Chinese dairy companies Mengniu and Shanghai Milkground Food Tech, along with beverage firm Eastroc, have halted all cooperation with the player. Migu, the state-owned broadcaster, will not air Real Madrid’s Sunday match against Racing Santander. These financial and media moves reflect the high stakes for athletes in the Chinese market, where satire regarding Mao remains a social taboo.

Real Madrid and La Liga issued apologies for the incident. La Liga president Javier Tebas established a crisis unit and met with Yao Jing, the Chinese ambassador to Spain, on Wednesday to manage the fallout. China Daily noted that the remark threatened Mbappe’s commercial relationships and reminded the public of the limits of celebrity influence in the region.

Philippe Diallo, the head of the French Football Federation, urged the public to let the matter go. Speaking to the French newspaper Ouest-France on Thursday, Diallo said Mbappe had clearly explained the context and apologized. He expressed hope that the controversy would end soon so the player could focus on the season.

A spokesman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the government is taking Mbappe’s apology seriously. The player has been nicknamed the dictator in European media due to his influence at his clubs, a theme that fueled the original meme now causing commercial friction.