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Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has apologised for hurting people in China and Chinese communities around the world following an ill-judged comment. The apology came after a reported backlash in the country over alleged remarks made on a YouTube show hosted by his club teammate Aurelien Tchouameni, as reported by 101 Great Goals.
Mbappe and La Liga Apologies
The top scorer in Spain last season issued a statement shortly after La Liga apologised to Chinese football fans on behalf of clubs. La Liga offered respect to China and stated it is working on plans to build awareness of different cultures. Chinese brands have reportedly dropped Mbappe over the remarks concerning a Chinese dictator and an accompanying meme.
“During a recent interview, I reacted to an image featuring myself,” Mbappe said. “My comment was ill-judged and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologise to everyone my words have upset. That was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history and I am sincerely sorry.”
Alleged Remarks and Background
In unverified clips online, Mbappe did not name Mao Zedong but stated that he used a meme of his face superimposed on an image resembling the late leader all the time with friends, noting that it made him laugh and referenced a Chinese dictator. Chinese football forum Dongqiudi highlighted the interview as inappropriate and capable of hurting feelings. Mao is an icon of the Chinese Communist Party, and satire or jokes about the founding leader are considered disrespectful and a social taboo under strict state controls.
The original video is absent from the YouTube channel of the show, and the air date remains unclear. In September, Mbappe spoke to L’Equipe about memes depicting him as a dictator, noting a mix of light-heartedness and a lack of political and human awareness given the historical damage caused by such figures.
Institutional Response and Brand Boycotts
La Liga stated that it deeply regrets the offence caused to Chinese fans, adding that the comments were made in a personal capacity and did not represent the league. The organisation offered an apology on behalf of itself and all its clubs, reaffirming its commitment to China and announcing plans to implement a protocol for cultural awareness and communication.
Reuters reported that four topics related to Mbappe remained among the top 10 trending searches on Weibo, with critics calling for a blacklist and the reduction of his commercial value to zero. A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry stated that actions hurting the feelings of the Chinese people would face joint opposition from all sectors of society. Dairy producer Mengniu, Shanghai Milkground Food Tech, Eastroc Beverage, and Dongpeng all severed ties with Mbappe over the incident. Additionally, the BBC cited a report from The Global Times stating that state broadcaster CCTV’s news apps will exclude Mbappe-related content and halt La Liga broadcasts.
