Kylian Mbappe dropped by several Chinese brands over alleged ‘inappropriate’ comments

Kylian Mbappe and LaLiga have issued formal apologies after the Real Madrid forward made controversial comments regarding memes comparing him to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. The 27-year-old admitted during an appearance on the French talk show The Bridge that a video comparing him to a "Chinese dictator" made him laugh. Mbappe subsequently stated that his reaction was ill-judged and apologised for offending people in China and Chinese communities globally.

The backlash led Chinese brands Dongpeng Beverage and Mengniu to immediately terminate their sponsorship deals with Mbappe. LaLiga also released an institutional apology reaffirming its commitment to China, while state broadcaster CCTV reportedly suspended coverage of the Spanish league. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian stated that actions hurting the feelings of the Chinese people would naturally face opposition.