Beijing: French football star Kylian Mbappé has apologised for remarks perceived as referring to Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the People’s Republic of China, as a dictator, after three Chinese companies ended their brand partnerships with him.
“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 on Tuesday.
“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,” he added.
Mbappé, whose face features prominently in advertisements across China, including at subway stations and inside lifts, faced criticism after a video clip apparently showing him discussing a meme of himself circulated on social media platform X.
Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese manufacturer Milkground announced on Tuesday that they were ending their agreements with the footballer. In similarly worded statements, the companies said they opposed “any words and actions that hurt national sentiment”.
None of the companies explicitly detailed the reasons for their decisions. However, their announcements came after the clip from an interview with Mbappé, apparently recorded ahead of his appearance on the French online talk show The Bridge, gained traction online.
In the video, Mbappé is asked about his favourite meme of himself. He responds by referring to a video made by someone whom he believes was “a Chinese dictator”. The clip then shows an edited image of the footballer’s face superimposed on the body of Mao Zedong, who led the Chinese Communist Party from 1949 until his death in 1976.
Football fans on social media have jokingly portrayed Mbappé as a dictator, reflecting perceptions that the forward sometimes overshadows his teammates and even the teams he represents. Memes depicting him as Mao and other authoritarian leaders have circulated widely online.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun also commented on the controversy. Responding to a question about the incident, he said that “words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with joint opposition from all sectors of Chinese society”.
Chinese social media platform RedNote joined the criticism, announcing that its content partnership with Mbappé had ended on December 31, 2024, and that it would remove related promotional material.
The platform also expressed opposition to “any conduct that hurts national sentiment”. Mbappé’s RedNote account was subsequently barred from accepting new followers on Tuesday.
The footballer has featured in several advertising campaigns in China, promoting products ranging from electrolyte drinks to dairy products. In a commercial for Dongpeng, he delivers a slogan in Chinese, while an advertisement for Mengniu features him alongside Argentine football star Lionel Messi.
The controversy sparked a wave of criticism on Chinese social media, with several related hashtags trending on Weibo.
“Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappé” and “Several brands end partnerships with Mbappé” topped the platform’s trending list. “Football fans boycott Mbappé” also gained traction, with some users expressing anger over his remarks and others urging him not to visit China.