Mbappé apologises as Chinese sponsors end partnerships over Mao remarks

Kylian Mbappé has apologised after remarks about an internet meme apparently depicting Mao Zedong prompted Chinese companies to end their partnerships with the Real Madrid and France forward. BBC News reported on Tuesday that Mbappé acknowledged his comments had caused hurt in China and among Chinese communities abroad, and apologised to those affected.

Watch the highlights:

The commercial fallout included drinks company Dongpeng and dairy producer Mengniu. According to AFP, both announced that their cooperation with Mbappé would end immediately. Their statements expressed opposition to conduct that offended national feeling. The Associated Press also reported that cheesemaker Milkground had ended its agreement, bringing the number of companies named in its report to three.

The controversy centres on a circulating video in which Mbappé discusses a favourite meme showing his face placed over an image apparently representing Mao. AFP reported that he described the figure as a Chinese dictator, but said its fact-checking team had not immediately been able to authenticate the recording. BBC News noted that Mbappé did not name Mao in the clips circulating online.

Important details about the recording remained unclear. According to the BBC, the original video was not available on The Bridge's YouTube channel, and the date on which the interview first aired was uncertain. The programme is hosted by Mbappé's Real Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni. La Liga separately expressed regret over the offence caused to Chinese supporters, extending the response beyond the player's own statement.

The reaction also reached social media businesses. AP reported that RedNote said its content partnership with Mbappé had already expired on December 31, 2024, and that it would remove associated promotional material. The platform also stopped his account from accepting new followers on Tuesday. That earlier expiry distinguishes RedNote's response from the newly announced sponsorship terminations.

The subject quickly became prominent on Weibo. AFP reported that Dongpeng's decision to end cooperation topped the platform's trending topics. BBC News said that by 14:00 local time on Tuesday, five of the ten leading topics concerned Mbappé, with users circulating clips and screenshots and some calling for boycotts of the player and Real Madrid.