Kylian Mbappe has apologised to Chinese fans after a joke about Mao Zedong triggered a backlash on Chinese social media and prompted two major brands, energy-drink maker Dongpeng and dairy group Mengniu, to end their sponsorship partnerships with the Real Madrid forward.
In a statement published in French, Chinese and English on Tuesday, Mbappe acknowledged that his remark had offended people in China and Chinese communities around the world.
“My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” he said. “I apologise to everyone my words have upset.”
The apology followed the circulation of a clip from the French talk show The Bridge, where Mbappe was asked about online memes portraying him as a dictator. The conversation turned to the memes he found funniest, leading him to mention a video featuring a man he believed was a Chinese dictator.
The programme then showed a meme placing Mbappe’s face over an image resembling Mao, the founder of the People’s Republic of China, who died in 1976. Mbappe laughed as the image appeared, but the clip subsequently drew criticism after spreading across Chinese social media.
Dongpeng and Mengniu announced that they were ending their commercial relationships with Mbappe with immediate effect. Their decisions underline the risks international companies face when a celebrity’s public comments conflict with the cultural or national sensitivities of a major market.
Dongpeng said it had a zero-tolerance policy towards behaviour that offended national feelings and confirmed that it was ending all forms of cooperation with the footballer. Mengniu also announced that it was terminating its partnership with the French national team captain.
The backlash marks a setback for Mbappe’s commercial standing in China, where he has built a substantial following among football fans. The 27-year-old had been a prominent face for brands seeking to reach Chinese consumers through international football.
During this year’s World Cup, Dongpeng advertisements featuring AI-generated images of Mbappe drinking its energy drink were regularly shown to Chinese viewers. His popularity also extended to Chinese social media, where fans affectionately call him “Guigui”, meaning “turtle”, a nickname associated with a meme inspired by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
The reaction to the video highlights the importance of cultural awareness for international athletes and the companies that partner with them. A joke that circulates as football-related humour in one online community can be received very differently when it touches on a country’s political history.
For Mbappe, the public apology acknowledges the offence caused by the remark, while the decisions by Dongpeng and Mengniu show that the commercial consequences have already extended beyond social media criticism.
