BEIJING (AP) — Soccer star Kylian Mbappé apologized for comments in which he apparently referred to Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China, as a dictator, after facing backlash and losing brand deals with at least three different Chinese companies.
“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 Tuesday.
“I apologize to everyone my words have upset,” he said. “This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.”
The incident is the latest in a string of cases where China leverages its economic clout to compel foreign companies and individuals to toe its political line. In 2019, Chinese state television ceased broadcasting NBA games after then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong.
Backlash has been swift and harsh
Mbappé’s face has appeared in ads across China, from subway stations to inside elevators.
Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground said in similarly worded statements Tuesday that they were ending agreements with the soccer star, each saying they oppose “any words and actions that hurt national sentiment.”
The companies did not specify what prompted their decisions, but they released their statements after a clip that appeared to show Mbappé being interviewed ahead of going on the French online talk show “The Bridge” circulated on X.
The China Football Association said in a statement Tuesday that it has “lodged a stern protest” with Real Madrid and demanded that both the player and the football club “issue a public and formal apology.”
The association stressed it firmly opposes “any remarks that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.”
China Media Group also said that it has suspended broadcasts of matches in the Spanish league, La Liga, and other games featuring the French soccer star, and removed advertisements featuring him. The media conglomerate demanded an apology from Mbappé and his club, Real Madrid.
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The Spanish league was quick to try to protect its television business in China. It said in a statement that it “deeply regrets the offense caused to Chinese fans by Mbappé’s recent comments. These remarks were made in a personal capacity and do not represent La Liga.”
The league said it would create a “communication protocol” for its players and clubs while working with stakeholders in China to prevent any future incidents.
Mbappé calls Mao a “dictator” when picking his favorite meme
In a video clip, Mbappé is asked about his favorite meme of himself, and the soccer star replies that it was “a video someone made of a guy … I think he was a Chinese dictator” before the video shows an altered image depicting Mbappé’s face on the blue-suited body of Mao Zedong.
Soccer fans online jokingly call the star — who’s said to overshadow many of his teammates and even the teams he plays on — a dictator, and memes showing him as Mao or other autocratic leaders are widely circulated.
Mao Zedong was a revolutionary who led the Communist Party during its crucial early days, winning a civil war against the ruling Nationalist Party in China, and then founding the modern-day People’s Republic of China.
Mao is revered by many even today. However, he leaves behind a complex legacy of authoritarian rule, having led campaigns like the Great Leap Forward, an industrialization project which led to a famine that killed an estimated 30 million people.
Criticisms are widespread
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said in response to a question about the controversy that “words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with joint opposition from all sectors of Chinese society.”
Social media platform RedNote joined the criticism, saying in a separate statement that the company had a content partnership with Mbappé that ended on Dec. 31, 2024, and that it would “remove related promotional materials.” It expressed opposition to “any conduct that hurts national sentiment.”
Mbappé’s account on RedNote was banned from accepting new followers Tuesday.
Mbappé has featured in advertising campaigns in China for products from electrolyte drinks to milk and cheese. In one commercial for Dongpeng, Mbappé delivers a slogan in Chinese; in an ad for Mengniu, he appears alongside Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi.
On Chinese social media, there were comments criticizing the soccer star.
The hashtags “Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappé” and “Several brands end partnerships with Mbappé” topped Weibo’s trending list. “Football fans boycott Mbappé” was also trending, with some users expressing anger at his remarks or telling him not to come to China.
Associated Press video producer Olivia Zhang in Beijing, writer Joseph Wilson in Barcelona, and writer Didi Tang in Washington contributed to this report.
