Kylian Mbappé is paying a heavy commercial price for a remark about a Chinese internet meme, with three major brands ending their sponsorship deals with the French football star and Chinese television reportedly suspending broadcasts of Spain’s LaLiga.
The Real Madrid forward apologised on Tuesday, October 27, after a video in which he appeared to describe Mao Zedong as a dictator sparked anger among Chinese football supporters.
What began as a conversation about an amusing image circulating online has become a much bigger problem. The controversy has cost Mbappé valuable commercial partners and drawn Spanish football officials into an uncomfortable dispute in one of the sport’s important international markets.
The reaction from Mbappé’s Chinese sponsors was swift.
Dongpeng Beverage, also known as Eastroc Beverage, dairy producer Mengniu and cheese manufacturer Milkground announced that they were ending their commercial relationships with the 27-year-old France captain.
In statements reported by AFP, Dongpeng and Mengniu said they would immediately stop working with Mbappé, citing their opposition to comments or actions that offend Chinese national sentiment. Milkground subsequently made a similar announcement, according to Reuters.
The decisions marked an abrupt reversal for companies that had made Mbappé a prominent face of their advertising.
Dongpeng had used AI-generated images of the footballer promoting its sports drinks during the 2026 World Cup. Mengniu had also featured him in campaigns, including one alongside Argentine star Lionel Messi.
His face had become familiar on products and advertising displays across China. Now, the companies that once promoted that association are distancing themselves from him.
Neither the companies nor Mbappé’s representatives have disclosed the value of the cancelled agreements, so the financial impact remains uncertain.
The controversy centres on a video that circulated online after Mbappé was asked about his favourite internet meme featuring himself.
He referred to an edited image showing his face superimposed on a historical figure he believed was a Chinese dictator.
Although Mbappé did not mention Mao Zedong by name, the image accompanying his remarks appeared to depict the former Chinese leader.
Mao founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949 and remained its leader until his death in 1976. He occupies a central place in the country’s official history, although his rule also included disastrous policies that caused widespread suffering and millions of deaths.
Jokes about Mao remain deeply sensitive in China, where the former leader continues to command considerable symbolic importance.
The original meme was part of an online running joke portraying Mbappé as a dominant personality within the teams he represents.
But what may have seemed like harmless football humour to some viewers was received very differently in China.
The video spread quickly on Weibo, with supporters expressing anger and calling for companies to stop using Mbappé in advertising.
AFP said it could not independently authenticate the footage when the story first emerged.
Mbappé apologises as anger spreads
Mbappé moved to contain the fallout by issuing a public apology.
In a statement carried by the Associated Press, he acknowledged that his remark had been ill-judged and said he understood that it had hurt people in China and Chinese communities elsewhere.
He also expressed respect for Chinese people and their history.
The apology followed criticism from China’s Foreign Ministry, whose spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, said comments that hurt Chinese people’s feelings would naturally meet opposition across Chinese society.
By then, however, the controversy had already moved beyond the footballer’s individual sponsorship deals.
China’s state broadcaster CCTV reportedly suspended broadcasts of LaLiga matches and removed advertising featuring Mbappé, according to Spanish newspaper El País.
The reported suspension brought a new dimension to the dispute, potentially affecting a football league whose commercial relationship with China extends far beyond one player.
LaLiga tries to repair the damage
LaLiga president Javier Tebas responded with an apology to Chinese supporters, making clear that Mbappé’s comments did not represent Spanish football.
In an official statement released on October 27, LaLiga expressed regret over the offence caused and promised to work with clubs and players to improve cultural awareness.
The league also stressed its commitment to maintaining relationships with Chinese football supporters, broadcasters and commercial partners.
For LaLiga, the stakes are considerable.
China offers access to millions of football fans, and European leagues have spent years building audiences and commercial partnerships there.
A dispute involving one of Real Madrid’s biggest stars therefore presents a problem that extends beyond the player’s personal reputation.
There is precedent for such difficulties. In 2019, the NBA faced a major backlash in China after a Houston Rockets executive publicly supported Hong Kong protesters. Chinese broadcasters and sponsors subsequently distanced themselves from the American basketball league.
Mbappé’s controversy is another example of how quickly international sport can become entangled in political disputes.
