French football star Kylian Mbappé has found himself at the centre of a commercial storm in China after a video in which he referenced a meme about himself went viral on social media. Three Chinese companies have announced they are terminating their partnerships with him, turning what began as an offhand joke into a full-blown crisis for one of the world's most famous footballers.
The video, which circulated on X, shows Mbappé being asked about his favourite internet meme featuring himself. In his response, he described a video in which his face had been superimposed onto the body of someone he called "a Chinese dictator". The clip then showed an edited image with the footballer's face on the body of Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China.
Mao, who died in 1976, remains an exceptionally sensitive historical figure in China, where many regard him as a founding father. At the same time, his rule is associated with mass catastrophes, including the Great Famine caused by his policies. Against this backdrop, referring to him as a dictator triggered fury among Chinese internet users.
Beverage company Dongfeng, dairy producer Mengniu, and cheese manufacturer Milkground announced on 27 October that they were ending their contracts with Mbappé. All three companies issued statements in similar language, making clear they oppose remarks that offend the national sentiments of the Chinese people.
The storm spread rapidly across Chinese social media. Topics related to the termination of partnerships with Mbappé reached the top of trending lists on Weibo, the Chinese social network, and users called on companies to remove his images from product packaging and advertising campaigns.
The Chinese Football Association also responded to the affair, announcing it had lodged a protest with Real Madrid, Mbappé's club, and demanded that both the player and the club issue a formal apology. Meanwhile, Chinese media reported that broadcasts of Spanish league matches on state television had been suspended and that advertisements featuring the star had been pulled.
La Liga itself moved quickly to respond. League president Javier Tebas expressed regret for the offence caused to Chinese fans and clarified that Mbappé's remarks were made in a personal capacity and do not represent the league. La Liga also announced it would work to establish a communications protocol to help prevent similar incidents in future.
Following the uproar, Mbappé issued an apology. "My comment was not well considered, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world," he said. He added that he had not intended to offend anyone, expressed respect for the Chinese people and their history, and asked forgiveness from all those hurt by his words.
The affair joins a series of incidents in which sports stars and international companies have clashed with China over remarks on sensitive topics. In 2019, for example, a tweet by a Houston Rockets executive expressing support for protesters in Hong Kong led to a crisis in the NBA's relationship with China, including the suspension of broadcasts on local television.
