Several Chinese brands have dropped French footballer Kylian Mbappé following a backlash over alleged comments referring to the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
Mbappé reportedly told a French talk show The Bridge the meme “that makes me laugh the most, it’s the one where there’s a video of a guy, I think it’s a Chinese dictator…”
As he trails off, a meme of his face superimposed on an image resembling Mao appears. The Real Madrid forward’s nickname, “the dictator”, because of his huge influence is a popular meme and a running joke.
But the joke did not go down well in China, where Mao is revered by the Communist Party, despite his chaotic and often violent rule that left millions dead.
The BBC has reached out to Mbappe and Real Madrid for comment. The Bridge is hosted by Mbappé’s Real Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni.
The original video is not available on the show’s YouTube channel, and it’s unclear when the interview first aired. In the unverified clips that have been circulating online, Mbappé does not identify Mao by name. He says he “uses [the meme] with friends all the time”.
The furore appeared to kick off on Monday night after Chinese football forum Dongqiudi drew attention to the comments in a statement, saying they were “inappropriate” and “hurt the feelings of Chinese people”.
Screengrabs of the clip and meme have since spread quickly on Chinese social media, with people echoing this sentiment and even calling for a boycott of both the French striker and his club, Real Madrid.
But some have blurred the meme itself as well the part of the comment they found offensive, when Mbappe refers to a Chinese dictator.
Dongqiudi said in its statement that it was “unable to translate” his comments because they were “offensive to China and the Chinese people”.
So, many people are also wondering what exactly Mbappe said and have responded to the angry posts and comments with questions, wanting to know more.
Chinese fans are criticising Mbappé – who is popular in China as and has huge brand endorsements – of “profiting from the Chinese market yet making remarks that offend the Chinese public”.
“International public figures, in particular, should show greater respect and sensitivity, as national sentiment must never be taken lightly,” reads another comment on Weibo.
As the anger online grew louder, Chinese brands began to cut ties, although they did not explicitly refer to the video.
The country’s largest dairy producer, Mengniu, said it “firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people”.
Drinks giant Dongpeng issued a similar statement: “Our company firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments.”
According to state-owned newspaper The Global Times, state broadcaster CCTV’s news apps will not feature content related to the French striker. CCTV will also stop showing La Liga matches, Chinese media reported on Tuesday. Real Madrid is one of 20 clubs that play in the Spanish football league and is the most decorated team with 36 league titles.
China’s foreign ministry has also weighed in, with spokesperson Lin Jian saying: “We have noted the relevant reports. Words and deeds that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with opposition from all sectors of Chinese society.”
China is a major market for international sports stars and homegrown brands have signed multimillion-dollar endorsement contracts with Mbappé, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, and NBA player Stephen Curry.
By 14:00 local time on Tuesday, five of the top 10 trending topics on Weibo centered on Mbappé, with the hashtag “multiple brands terminate partnerships with Mbappé” topping the list.
“Don’t ever come to China,” read one of the top comments on Weibo.
There have been a few people who have come out in support of Mbappé on Chinese social media. But theirs is a rare response given China’s tightly controlled internet, where people are expected to toe the party and government line on sensitive topics.
And few topics are as sensitive as Mao.
What’s driving the anger?
Mao founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949 and ruled through tumultuous decades in the 1960s and 1970s.
His attempt at rapid industrialisation, which he called the Great Leap Forward, led to a famine that killed tens of millions. Then came the Cultural Revolution: a violent purge of anyone seen as a threat to Communism, which included Chinese intellectuals, landowners, artists and often rivals within the Party.
His death in 1976 brought a new era for China, which began to open its doors to the global economy. Even as the country moved away from Mao’s rule, he continued to be hailed by the party as a national icon whose legacy was beyond reproach.
So jokes or memes about Mao are seen not just as an insult to the party but also its closely-guarded narrative about the country’s past.
It’s unclear when the Mbappé meme involving Mao began but his nickname, “the dictator”, has made the striker the subject of many memes and jokes online.
In 2024, he sued a French influencer and kebab shop owner for using his name in the description of one of the shop’s sandwiches, leading to more jokes about the nickname.
France team-mate Ousmane Dembele jumped on the trend during the 2026 World Cup, calling Mbappé Mobut – a reference to Mobutu Sese Seko, the dictator who ruled the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly Zaire, for three decades.
In an interview with France Football in September, Mbappé acknowledged the light-heartedness behind many of these memes, but said they “sometimes reveal a lack of political and human awareness among people”.
“There’s a side that’s a bit less funny, because we know the damage people like that have caused throughout history,” he said.
“Being compared to people who murder others, or who have made millions upon millions of people miserable… I don’t think I’ve done that in my life.”
In an interview with France Football in September, Mbappé acknowledged the light-heartedness behind many of these memes, but said they “sometimes reveal a lack of political and human awareness among people”.
“There’s a side that’s a bit less funny, because we know the damage people like that have caused throughout history,” he said.
“Being compared to people who murder others, or who have made millions upon millions of people miserable… I don’t think I’ve done that in my life.”
By BBC News
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