French footballer Kylian Mbappé has apologized for his remarks about Mao, who is regarded as a Chinese communist revolutionary and the founder of modern China.
Amid strong backlash in China, French footballer Kylian Mbappé (27) has issued a public apology to the Chinese people on his X page.
The French footballer plays for Real Madrid. As captain, he is said to exert a lot of control over the other players and, because of his outstanding play, his fans have been calling him a “dictator.”
The problem caused by a single meme
Accordingly, a meme was created about this dictator and was widely shared on social media by Mbappé fans. In a recent interview, Mbappé was asked which meme he liked the most.
In that interview, Mbappé said, “Someone must have made a meme video using me. I think the person in it is a Chinese dictator; I really like memes that look like him. I often share it.”
Consequences
Because of this, Mbappé faced severe criticism in China. His jerseys were removed from display in China.
They stopped broadcasting in China the La Liga matches his team participates in, as well as the French matches and the advertisements he appeared in.
Going one step further, three Chinese companies terminated their commercial agreements with Mbappé. As a result, he, La Liga, and Real Madrid also suffered a major financial setback.
Mbappé apologized
The football world, which had not expected these severe consequences, expressed regret separately. Apologies were issued on behalf of La Liga football and Real Madrid.
Later, Mbappé expressed his regret in three languages on his X page. It said:
My comments were misunderstood. I understand that they have affected the Chinese people and many others around the world. If my words hurt anyone, I apologize.
My intention was not to hurt anyone. I have great respect for the Chinese people and their history. Therefore, I am deeply sorry.
Earlier, in 2019, protests broke out in China over the broadcasting of NBA games not being aired. Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s tweet against the Chinese government caused a stir.
Who is Mao Zedong?
Mao Zedong (Mao) was a Chinese revolutionary. He led the Chinese Communist Party during its most important early period. He won the civil war against the Nationalist Party, which was in power in China, and founded modern China. Because of this, he is called the founding father of the People's Republic of China.
Even today, many people still hold Mao in very high regard. However, he left behind a complex history that included authoritarian rule. His industrialization campaigns, such as the “Great Leap Forward,” led to a massive famine; it is also worth remembering that as a result, around 30 million people lost their lives.
Breaking: This is the theme that kylian mpabbe laughed to the great Chinese spiritual leader according to the Chinese but according to history he was a Chinese dictator who caused over 40million deaths in China. China have caught kylian mpabbe out of all deals done with him… pic.twitter.com/mW8Mw6BdOz
— mercy (@Patrick767329) October 28, 2026
— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) October 27, 2026