Mbappé sorry for 'ill-judged' Mao remark after backlash in China

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, A backlash has erupted on Chinese social media over Mbappé's comments on a "Chinese dictator.

• Publicado 27 de outubro de 2026, 07:15 GMT.

Kylian Mbappé has apologised for "ill-judged" comments he made about late Chinese leader Mao Zedong which led to him being dropped by several Chinese brands.

Mbappé teria dito ao talk show francês The Bridge que o meme “que me faz rir mais, é o que tem um vídeo de um cara, acho que é um ditador chinês…” Ele então ri enquanto o clipe corta para um meme que mostra seu rosto sobreposto a uma imagem semelhante a Mao.

The meme is part of a running joke about the Real Madrid forward being called a "dictator" because of his huge influence in football.

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.

I apologise to everyone my words have upset.

A La Liga da Espanha também pediu desculpas, dizendo que 'lamenta profundamente a ofensa que os comentários recentes de Kylian Mbappé causaram entre os fãs chineses.

The joke did not go down well in China, where Mao is revered by the Communist Party, despite his chaotic and often violent rule that left millions dead.

A few people came out in support of him on Chinese social media, but that is a rare response given China's tightly controlled internet, where people are expected to toe the party and government line on sensitive topics.

Few topics are as sensitive as Mao, which may explain why brands were so quick to terminate partnerships with a global sports star like Mbappé.

The original video is not available on the show's YouTube channel, and it's unclear when the interview hosted by Real Madrid's Aurélien Tchouaméni first aired. In clips that have been circulating online, Mbappé does not identify Mao by name.

He says he "uses [the meme] with friends all the time.

O furor parece ter começado na noite de segunda-feira, depois que o fórum de futebol chinês Dongqiudi chamou atenção para os comentários em uma declaração, dizendo que eles eram “inadequados” e “machucaram os sentimentos do povo chinês”.

Screengrabs of the clip and meme have since spread quickly on Chinese social media, with people echoing this sentiment and even calling for a boycott of both the French striker and his club, Real Madrid.

Mas alguns borraram o meme em si, bem como a parte do comentário que consideraram ofensiva, quando Mbappé se refere a “um ditador chinês”.

Dongqiudi said in its statement that it was "unable to translate" his comments because they were "offensive to China and the Chinese people.

Muitas pessoas, portanto, também estão se perguntando exatamente o que Mbappé disse e responderam aos posts e comentários enfurecidos com perguntas, querendo saber mais.

Image source, WeiboImage caption, Weibo users are recirculating the clip by blurring the meme and redacting references to Mao.

Fãs chineses têm criticado Mbappé – que é popular na China e tem grandes patrocínios de marcas – por “profiting from the Chinese market yet making remarks that offend the Chinese public”.

International public figures, in particular, should show greater respect and sensitivity, as national sentiment must never be taken lightly," reads another comment on Weibo.

As the anger online grew louder, Chinese brands began to cut ties, although they did not explicitly refer to the video.

The country's largest dairy producer, Mengniu, said it "firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.

O gigante de bebidas Dongpeng emitiu uma declaração semelhante: 'Nossa empresa se opõe firmemente e tem uma política de tolerância zero em relação a qualquer comportamento que ofenda os sentimentos nacionais.

According to state-owned newspaper The Global Times, state broadcaster CCTV's news apps will not feature content related to the French striker. CCTV will also stop showing La Liga matches, Chinese media reported on Tuesday.

O Real Madrid é um dos 20 clubes que disputam a liga espanhola de futebol e é o time mais laureado, com 36 títulos de liga.

China's foreign ministry has also weighed in, with spokesperson Lin Jian saying: "We have noted the relevant reports. Words and deeds that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with opposition from all sectors of Chinese society.

Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Mbappé has a significant commercial presence in China.

A China se consolida como um mercado de peso para estrelas esportivas internacionais, enquanto marcas nacionais firmam contratos de patrocínio de multimilhões de dólares com Mbappé, o atacante norueguês Erling Haaland e o jogador da NBA Stephen Curry.

By 14:00 local time on Tuesday, five of the top 10 trending topics on Weibo centered on Mbappé, with the hashtag "multiple brands terminate partnerships with Mbappé" topping the list.

Don't ever come to China," read one of the top comments on Weibo.

Mao founded the People's Republic of China in 1949 and ruled through tumultuous decades in the 1960s and 1970s.

His attempt at rapid industrialisation, which he called the Great Leap Forward, led to a famine that killed tens of millions. Then came the Cultural Revolution: a violent purge of anyone seen as a threat to Communism, which included Chinese intellectuals, landowners, artists and often rivals within the Party.

His death in 1976 brought a new era for China, which began to open its doors to the global economy. Even as the country moved away from Mao's rule, he continued to be hailed by the party as a national icon whose legacy was beyond reproach.

Assim, piadas ou memes sobre Mao são vistas não apenas como insultos ao partido, mas também à sua narrativa estritamente protegida sobre o passado do país.

Fonte da imagem, AFP via Getty Images. Legenda da imagem, Mbappé disse que alguns dos memes “revelam falta de consciência política e humana”.

It's unclear when the Mbappé meme involving Mao began but his nickname, "the dictator", has made the striker the subject of many memes and jokes online.

Mbappé is widely regarded as one of the best footballers in the world and has wielded significant influence at the clubs he has played for. His extraordinary speed, goalscoring ability and worldwide popularity have made him a global icon, attracting millions of fans, major sponsorship deals and media attention, with his influence extending into fashion, culture and business.

Em 2024, ele processou um influenciador francês e dono de loja de kebab por usar seu nome na descrição de um dos sanduíches da loja, gerando mais piadas sobre o apelido.

France teammate Ousmane Dembele jumped on the trend during the 2026 World Cup, calling Mbappé Mobut – a reference to Mobutu Sese Seko, the dictator who ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire, for three decades.

Em uma entrevista à France Football em setembro, Mbappé reconheceu a leveza por trás de muitos desses memes, mas disse que eles “às vezes revelam uma falta de consciência política e humana entre as pessoas”.

There's a side that's a bit less funny, because we know the damage people like that have caused throughout history," he said.

Being compared to people who murder others, or who have made millions upon millions of people miserable... I don't think I've done that in my life.

Additional reporting by Fan Wang and Osmond Chia.