Major Chinese brands have terminated their partnerships with French footballer Kylian Mbappé amid a rapidly growing public backlash over an interview in which he allegedly referenced Mao Zedong. The controversy erupted after Chinese football forum Dongqiudi highlighted remarks where the Real Madrid forward reportedly described his favorite meme as one showing his face superimposed on a Chinese dictator.
While neither Mbappé nor the interviewers have publicly commented on the uproar, the comments quickly circulated online and drew widespread condemnation from internet users who accused the athlete of disrespecting the Chinese public while continuing to profit from the nation's market. China's foreign ministry also weighed in on the controversy, with a spokesperson stating that words and deeds hurting the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally face opposition from all sectors of society.
State media and broadcasting responses followed swiftly. According to local media reports, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has suspended the broadcast of La Liga matches, and content related to the French striker has reportedly been removed from CCTV news applications.
Major commercial sponsors quickly distanced themselves from the player. Dairy producer Mengniu and beverage giant Dongpeng both issued statements announcing zero-tolerance policies toward any behavior or remarks that offend national sentiments, though they did not explicitly reference the controversial clip in their termination announcements.
The nickname "the dictator" has frequently been applied to Mbappé within the football world to describe his dominant influence on club and international operations, spawning numerous online memes. In a previous interview with France Football, Mbappé addressed the lighthearted nature of these internet trends while acknowledging that historical comparisons to figures who caused mass suffering lack political and human awareness.
Mao Zedong, who founded Communist China in 1949, remains an official national icon for the Chinese Communist Party despite the immense turmoil and loss of life associated with policies like the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Given his continued reverence, the severe commercial and public backlash against the football star has escalated rapidly as social media users demand greater respect and sensitivity from international public figures.