Chinese Brands Cut Ties With Kylian Mbappé Over Remark About Mao Zedong Meme

Kylian Mbappé's image is a familiar sight in Chinese advertising, but at least three companies have now severed their relationships with the France and Real Madrid forward. The split follows comments in which he appeared to describe Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the People's Republic of China, as a dictator.

Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese producer Milkground each announced on Tuesday that they were ending their agreements with the player. Their statements were worded in a similar way, with each company saying it opposes "any words and actions that hurt national sentiment."

The companies did not say exactly what led to their decisions. However, the announcements came after a clip circulated on X that seemed to show Mbappé being interviewed before an appearance on the French online talk show "The Bridge."

In the footage, he is asked to name his favorite meme of himself. He answers that it was "a video someone made of a guy .. I think he was a Chinese dictator." The video then shows an altered image that places Mbappé's face on the blue-suited body of Mao Zedong.

Mbappé posted an apology on social media on Tuesday. "During a recent interview I reacted to an image of myself," he wrote. "My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurts many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world." He added that he apologised to everyone who was upset, that it was "absolutely not my intention," and that he has "deep respect for the Chinese people and their history."

The social platform RedNote also voiced criticism. In a separate statement, it said its content partnership with Mbappé ended on Dec. 31, 2024, and that it would "remove related promotional materials." Like the brands, it said it opposes "any conduct that hurts national sentiment."

Mbappé has appeared in Chinese campaigns for products ranging from electrolyte drinks to milk and cheese. In one Dongpeng commercial he delivers a slogan in Chinese, and in a Mengniu ad he appears alongside Lionel Messi.

Reaction on Chinese social media was sharp. Several comments criticizing him had already appeared, and the hashtags "Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappé" and "Several brands end partnerships with Mbappé" topped Weibo's trending list. Another trending tag, "Football fans boycott Mbappé," reflected users who were angry about his remarks, with some telling him not to come to China.

LaLiga also moved to distance itself from the comments on Tuesday. The league said it "deeply regrets the offense caused" among Chinese fans and stressed that the remarks were made in a personal capacity and do not represent the competition. It said it was working with partners and institutional contacts in China, and that together with clubs and players it would put in place a protocol for awareness and communication that promotes respect for different cultures and helps prevent similar situations.