Chinese brands are cutting ties with Kylian Mbappé, one of the world’s biggest soccer stars, after he joked about Mao Zedong on a podcast.
Mbappé, who plays for Real Madrid and captains the French national team, has been nicknamed “The Dictator” for his confidence and influence over the teams he plays for. The nickname has spawned countless memes, many of which compare him to historical leaders, including Mao.
The controversy was sparked by a clip circulating on social media from an interview with “The Bridge,” a French podcast co-hosted by one of Mbappé’s teammates.
In it, Mbappé said the meme that made him laugh the most was one where his face was superimposed onto that of “some guy — I think he’s a Chinese dictator.” The video then cuts to an image of Mao with Mbappé’s face.
While millions died under Mao’s leadership, he is still revered by the Chinese Communist Party for his role as the founding father of modern China. Jokes about him remain a social taboo in China and are considered disrespectful.
Dongpeng, a drinks company whose ads and packaging feature Mbappé, announced on Tuesday that it would no longer work with him.
“Our company firmly opposes and has zero tolerance for actions that hurt national feelings,” it said in a statement. “Effective immediately, we are ending all cooperation with Kylian Mbappé.”
Mengniu, the country’s largest dairy producer, also released a similar statement.
Soon after it was posted, Dongpeng’s statement became the top-trending topic on the Chinese social media site Weibo.
Mbappé apologized in a statement on Tuesday morning, calling the comment “ill-judged.”
“I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” he said in the statement, which was posted in English, French, and Mandarin.
“I apologize 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.”
Mbappé is one of soccer’s biggest stars. On Monday, he came second in voting for the prestigious Ballon d’Or and was the top scorer at this summer’s World Cup.
In 2017, while still a teenager, he commanded a transfer fee of over $210 million, and he has since become one of the most marketable athletes in global sports.
In September, he became the face of Swiss shoemaker On’s expanding soccer business, leaving behind a long-term deal as one of Nike’s top ambassadors. On’s share price was down more than 4% in early trading on Tuesday.
On top of that deal, Mbappé is the face of EA Sports’ hugely popular FC game series, and has endorsement deals with brands like Swiss watchmaker Hublot and Oakley.
Jade GAO / AFP via Getty Images
Soon after Dongpeng and Mengnui’s statements, EFE Noticias, a Spanish news agency, reported that Chinese state TV has suspended broadcasts of La Liga — the top division of Spanish football where Mbappé plies his trade.
“We convey our respect to China, its institutions, and its people, and we deeply value the support of the millions of fans who follow us each week,” La Liga said in a Tuesday X post, adding that it was working with partners in China to address the situation.
