Mbappé and LaLiga banned in China: the meme that's wrecking Spanish football
The Frenchman apologized after several brands cut ties with him. The controversy also reached broadcasts of Spanish football on Chinese state television.
Kylian Mbappé is facing a commercial crisis in China over a comment about a meme depicting him as Mao Zedong, whom he referred to as "a Chinese dictator." Companies including Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground announced on Oct. 27 that they were ending their partnerships with the Real Madrid forward, who has since issued an apology.
It stems from a clip attributed to an interview linked to the French show The Bridge. Asked about his favorite meme, a laughing Mbappé describes an edit of his face placed over that of "a Chinese dictator" and says he uses it with his friends. He doesn't name Mao, although the edit that circulated depicts him with the image of the historic leader.
Those comparisons circulate among fans as a caricature of the supposed power they attribute to the Frenchman within his teams.
Who was Mao Zedong?
Mao led the founding of the People's Republic of China and ruled from 1949 to 1976. His legacy is marked by authoritarianism and the famine tied to the Great Leap Forward, but he retains a central place in the Communist Party's official history. Satire about him is heavily restricted.
The backlash reached the Foreign Ministry: its spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, said that remarks that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will meet with public rejection.
The brands that dropped Mbappé cited zero tolerance for that kind of behavior. They did not disclose the value of the terminated deals.
Chinese broadcaster CCTV was also reported to have suspended programming related to LaLiga and Mbappé, as well as pulling ads featuring the player. The network had not issued an official explanation specifying how long the measure would last.
In his apology, released in French, English and Chinese, Mbappé called his comment unfortunate, acknowledged the upset it caused and said he had not meant to offend.
LaLiga and its president, Javier Tebas, also apologized to Chinese fans. The league said it is working with its partners in the country and will develop a cultural awareness and communications protocol with clubs and players.
The fallout goes beyond the forward's personal deals: in August, LaLiga announced an agreement with China Mobile Migu to distribute its 380 matches per season in mainland China through 2029-30. The controversy's effect on that digital service remains unclear.
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