Kylian Mbappé has apologised to China after comments he made about a meme depicting him as Mao Zedong sparked a backlash and led at least three Chinese companies to end their commercial partnerships with the Real Madrid forward.
“My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” Mbappé said in a statement published on Tuesday.
Read Also: China suspends LaLiga broadcasts after Mbappé Mao Zedong meme row
“I apologise to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry,” he added.
The controversy followed the circulation of a video from the French talk show The Bridge, in which Mbappé appeared to describe a meme featuring his face superimposed on an image of Mao as one of the funniest he had seen.
In the clip, he referred to the figure as “some guy; I think he’s a Chinese dictator”. The footage was reportedly recorded earlier in the year and was subsequently removed from the show’s social media accounts. The Bridge also apologised to Chinese fans and Mbappé. Reuters reported that it had been unable to independently authenticate the video.
The meme forms part of a broader online trend portraying Mbappé as a dictator to satirise his perceived influence at the clubs he has played for. However, jokes involving Mao, the founding leader of the People’s Republic of China, are considered particularly sensitive in the country.
The backlash has had commercial consequences for the French captain. Chinese beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy producer Mengniu and cheese company Milkground announced that they were ending their partnerships with the footballer.
Spain’s LaLiga also apologised to Chinese fans, saying it deeply regretted the offence caused by Mbappé’s remarks and stressing that they were made in a personal capacity and did not represent the league’s position.
Mao, who led the Chinese Communist Party and founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949, remains a revered figure in official Chinese narratives, although his rule was also marked by political campaigns and policies that caused widespread suffering and millions of deaths.
The episode highlights the commercial risks international sports figures face when their public remarks clash with cultural and political sensitivities in major markets such as China.
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