French football superstar Kylian Mbappe has faced backlash in China after a video featuring his remark about Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the People’s Republic of China, circulated on social media.
The controversy has reportedly resulted in three Chinese companies ending their commercial partnerships with the France captain.
Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese producer Milkground announced on Tuesday that they were terminating their agreements with Mbappe. In similarly worded statements, the companies said they opposed “any words and actions that hurt national sentiment”.
However, none explicitly mentioned the viral video as the reason behind their decisions.
What Did Kylian Mbappe Say About Mao Zedong?
The controversy began after a clip from an apparent interview ahead of Mbappe’s appearance on the French online talk show The Bridge went viral on X.
During the conversation, the Real Madrid forward was reportedly asked about his favourite meme featuring himself. Mbappe referred to a video of a man he believed was a Chinese dictator, before an edited image appeared showing his face superimposed on Mao Zedong’s body.
Football fans frequently use dictator-themed memes to joke about Mbappe’s influence within his teams and his prominence among teammates. However, the clip attracted criticism from some Chinese social media users, who interpreted the remark as disrespectful towards the country’s historical leader.
The Associated Press reported that it was immediately unable to reach Mbappe’s representatives for comment.
Three Brands End Partnerships With Mbappe
Mbappe has a significant advertising presence in China, with his image appearing across subway stations, elevators and commercial campaigns.
The French international has featured in advertisements for Dongpeng’s electrolyte drinks and Mengniu’s dairy products, including a campaign alongside Argentine superstar Lionel Messi.
Social media platform RedNote also announced that its content partnership with Mbappe had ended on December 31, 2024. It said it would remove related promotional materials and opposed conduct that hurts national sentiment.
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Mbappe Faces Backlash On Chinese Social Media
The controversy gained traction on Weibo, where hashtags including “Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappe” and “Several brands end partnerships with Mbappe” topped the trending list.
“Football fans boycott Mbappe” also gained attention, with some users criticising the forward and calling for a boycott.
While the three companies have announced their decisions to end their agreements, they have not explicitly confirmed that the viral clip prompted the moves. Mbappe’s representatives had not issued an immediate response.