{"id":5097,"date":"2026-10-31T16:45:46","date_gmt":"2026-10-31T16:45:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/31\/mourinho-backs-mbappe-after-apology-over-china-comments\/"},"modified":"2026-10-31T16:45:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-31T16:45:46","slug":"mourinho-backs-mbappe-after-apology-over-china-comments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/2026\/10\/31\/mourinho-backs-mbappe-after-apology-over-china-comments\/","title":{"rendered":"Mourinho backs Mbappe after apology over China comments"},"content":{"rendered":"

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has backed Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 over the controversy surrounding the forward\u2019s remarks about China, saying both the player and the club responded with class and had done what was required to address the issue.\n<\/p>\n

Mourinho said he felt represented by the reactions of Mbapp\u00e9 and Real Madrid, adding that the club had no further role to play in the matter after issuing an apology to the Chinese people.\n<\/p>\n

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday ahead of Real Madrid\u2019s visit to Racing Santander, the Portuguese manager said the incident reflected the risks of making public comments in an increasingly sensitive world.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWith this situation involving China, these are the dangers of today\u2019s world, where many times the best thing you can do is keep your mouth shut, because there\u2019s danger in so many things you say or comment on,\u201d Mourinho told reporters.<\/p>\n

He, however, praised the responses of the French forward and the Spanish club, saying their swift reactions demonstrated responsibility.<\/p>\n

\u201cTranquillity, because my club is Real Madrid and my player at home is Kylian Mbapp\u00e9. Both have had the class to have an immediate reaction, and I feel as a coach very represented by my club and by my player,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n

Mourinho added that he had seen a strong sense of responsibility from the club and believed the matter had been adequately addressed.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve seen a lot of responsibility from a club which, at this level, is a club of great class, and as far as we\u2019re concerned, that\u2019s it, we\u2019ve done our part, there\u2019s nothing more for us to do,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Kylian Mbappe. Credit: Yahoo Sports.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n

The controversy followed comments by Mbapp\u00e9 about an internet meme featuring his face superimposed on that of former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. The remarks drew criticism in China, prompting the player, Real Madrid and La Liga to issue apologies.\n<\/p>\n

Mourinho also spoke in defence of Mbapp\u00e9\u2019s character, describing the 27-year-old as intelligent and mature, while praising the way he handled finishing behind Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane in the Ballon d\u2019Or voting.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cKylian is very intelligent, very mature, with a very high level of self-esteem,\u201d Mourinho said. \u201cAt the same time, he shows real class in the way he\u2019s interpreted the Ballon d\u2019Or going to Harry. In him I\u2019ve only seen and felt class and respect.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing is knowing you\u2019re the best, and another is having respect for those who have also done a lot to win a trophy. From him I only see class.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Kane was named the winner of the award ahead of Mbapp\u00e9, who finished second, while Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham placed 11th.\n<\/p>\n

Mourinho said he was pleased for Kane, whom he coached at Tottenham Hotspur, despite his disappointment that his current player did not win the award.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had the privilege of working with Harry, he\u2019s a great player and a great professional and a great person,\u201d he said.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cInside the frustration that my player (Mbapp\u00e9) didn\u2019t win, well, I have to be honest and say I\u2019m very happy for Harry, a player and a boy who deserves it.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

The Real Madrid manager also expressed surprise at Bellingham\u2019s position in the voting, saying the midfielder\u2019s 11th-place finish had left him astonished.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat left me with my mouth open in surprise was Jude Bellingham 11th, no comments,\u201d he said.\n <\/p>\n

Source: <\/p>\n

Punch Newspapers – Latest News<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has backed Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 over the controversy surrounding the forward\u2019s remarks about China, saying both the player and the club responded with class and had… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5097","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5097","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5097"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5097\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5097"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5097"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/globalnigerianews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5097"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}