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French football superstar Kylian Mbappé has lost major Chinese sponsorship deals and issued an apology after a video showing him laughing at a meme depicting former Chinese leader Mao Zedong with his face sparked widespread backlash.
The controversy has also reportedly affected the broadcast of Spanish football matches in China, with state broadcaster CCTV halting its coverage of Real Madrid and other La Liga fixtures.
According to reports, the 27-year-old Real Madrid forward made the comments during an appearance on The Bridge, a French talk show hosted by his club teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni.
During the interview, Mbappé reportedly identified a meme featuring his face superimposed on an image of Mao, describing it as the one that made him laugh the most.
Mao, who ruled China from 1949 until his death in 1976, remains a highly sensitive historical figure in the country because of the human cost associated with his rule.
The reaction to Mbappé’s remarks has been swift, with Chinese companies ending their commercial relationships with the footballer.
According to Bloomberg, Eastroc Beverage Group and China Mengniu Dairy, two brands that had partnered with Mbappé, cut ties with him amid the controversy. Dongpeng Beverage Group also announced that it was ending its relationship with the player.
Reports further indicated that Mbappé’s accounts on Chinese social media platforms Weibo and Xiaohongshu had been restricted, with notices referring to alleged violations of platform regulations.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV reportedly stopped airing matches involving Real Madrid and other La Liga clubs, although the full scope and duration of the reported suspension were not immediately clear.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian also commented on the controversy, saying that remarks perceived as hurting the feelings of Chinese people would naturally attract opposition.
Facing mounting criticism, La Liga and Mbappé issued separate apologies on Tuesday.
In its statement, La Liga expressed regret over the offence caused by the player’s comments among Chinese supporters, stressing that the remarks were made in his personal capacity and did not represent the league or its clubs.
Mbappé also acknowledged that his reaction to the image had been ill-judged.
“During a recent interview, I reacted to an image of myself,” he said in his apology. “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world.”
He added: “I apologise 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.”
The controversy has revived memories of the dispute between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and China in 2019, when then-Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey expressed support for pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong.
Chinese sponsors suspended relationships with the Rockets, while CCTV stopped broadcasting NBA games for about a year.
The episode also triggered debate over the tension between freedom of expression and the commercial consequences of public statements in markets where political and historical issues are particularly sensitive.
