Real Madrid and La Liga apologise to China over Mbappe comments

Real Madrid and La Liga have issued formal apologies to China following comments made by Kylian Mbappe about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong. In an interview clip from the French show "The Bridge," Mbappe referred to an internet meme depicting his face on "a Chinese dictator." The remarks sparked widespread backlash, leading Mbappe to post an apology in French, English, and Chinese after causing significant offense.

The controversy caused immediate fallout in China, where state broadcaster CMG suspended television broadcasts of La Liga matches. Chinese commercial partners including Dongpeng, Mengniu, and Milkground terminated their partnerships with the French forward. In addition, Mbappe's accounts on Chinese social media platforms Weibo and Xiaohongshu were frozen, while brands removed promotional materials featuring the 27-year-old striker.