Mbappé Cancels in China After Mao Meme Backlash

Several Chinese brands have dropped French footballer Kylian Mbappé following a backlash over an alleged comment in a French talk show interview ^[1]. The clip, reportedly from The Bridge, shows Mbappé referencing a meme that features his face superimposed on an image resembling Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China ^[2]. He reportedly said the meme was "the one where there's a video of a guy, I think it's a Chinese dictator," adding he "uses it with my friends all the time".

Although the original video has been removed from The Bridge’s YouTube channel, screengrabs have spread widely on Chinese social media ^[2]. The controversy has drawn official attention: China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that remarks hurting Chinese people’s feelings would face "joint rejection from people across Chinese society".

In response, major Chinese sponsors have cut ties. Dongpeng Beverage Group announced it was terminating all cooperation with Mbappé, citing a "zero-tolerance policy" toward conduct that hurts national sentiments ^[2]. Mengniu and Milkground also ended their partnerships, with Mengniu stating it "firmly opposes" any actions that offend Chinese people ^[1].

CCTV has suspended broadcasting of La Liga matches, and The Global Times reported that CCTV’s news apps no longer feature content on Mbappé ^[1]. Chinese sports platform Dongqiudi said it would not translate Mbappé’s remarks, calling them "inappropriate" and "hurtful to Chinese people".

The backlash intensified as the Ballon d’Or awards approached, with Weibo trending topics around the sponsorship cuts amassing nearly 400 million views ^[2]. Some users questioned what exactly Mbappé said, with one asking, "What did he actually say?". Others referenced the 100-yuan note, a common visual cue for Mao.

Mbappé has previously acknowledged the humor behind memes comparing him to dictators but expressed discomfort with the comparisons, noting the real-world harm caused by such figures ^[2]. He told France Football in September: "Being compared to people who murder others... I don't think I've done that in my life".

The authenticity of the video has not been confirmed by independent sources ^[2]. Neither Mbappé nor The Bridge has commented. Real Madrid and Mbappé’s representatives have been contacted for comment but have not responded. The story was first reported by BBC News and ABC News (AU).