Kylian Mbappe has been dropped by multiple Chinese commercial partners following widespread outrage over comments he allegedly made about an internet meme depicting Mao Zedong.
The commercial fallout escalated on Tuesday as Chinese state television suspended broadcasts of matches involving the French striker and his club, Real Madrid, while companies including Eastroc Beverage, Mengniu and Milkground severed ties.
Mbappe responded to the crisis by issuing an apology on social media, acknowledging that his remark was reckless and stating that he never intended to offend the Chinese people.
The controversy centres on an unverified video that surfaced on Monday in which the 2026 Ballon d'Or runner-up referred to a satirical image that placed his face onto that of a Chinese dictator.
Commercial boycott by Chinese sponsors
Chinese beverage manufacturer Eastroc Beverage, which featured Mbappe on its drink packaging, announced on the social media platform Weibo that it was terminating all cooperation with the footballer with immediate effect. The company said that it firmly opposed any behaviour that hurt national sentiment.
Two major dairy producers, Mengniu and Milkground, also announced that they had ended their commercial partnerships with the player. Mengniu is one of China's largest dairy corporations and an established sponsor of global sporting events, while Milkground is a leading domestic producer of cheese and dairy foods.
The video that triggered the boycott has not been authenticated by Reuters, and representatives for Mbappe did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the footage.
Broadcasting ban and official government response
The dispute rapidly expanded from corporate endorsements to state-level media restrictions. Chinese state television suspended the broadcast of all matches and events involving LaLiga and Mbappe, while advertising campaigns featuring the player were withdrawn across the country, Chinese state media outlet The Paper reported on Tuesday.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also addressed the matter during an official briefing. A ministry spokesperson said that words and actions that harm the feelings of the Chinese people would naturally face united opposition from all sectors of Chinese society.
Sensitivity surrounding the remarks stems from the status of Mao, who founded the People's Republic of China in 1949 and led the nation until his death in 1976. Revered by many as the founder and saviour of the modern Chinese state, Mao is protected by strict cultural and legal conventions that treat jokes, parody or satire concerning his image as serious taboos.
Background to the online memes
The incident follows a widespread internet trend in which football supporters have created memes superimposing Mbappe's face onto portraits of political and military leaders. Fans began sharing the images to joke that the forward held dictatorial influence over team selections and institutional decisions at his clubs.
Mbappe had previously addressed the phenomenon during an interview with French sports newspaper L'Equipe last month. While he acknowledged that some aspects of the trend were harmless humour, he commented that viral memes portraying him as a dictator showed a lack of political and human awareness.
Mbappe, who plays for Real Madrid and finished second in the 2026 men's Ballon d'Or behind Harry Kane, is among the most commercially visible athletes in the world. Spanish football league LaLiga and its marquee clubs have long prioritised commercial expansion across China, where international stars frequently command major endorsement contracts.
Apology from Kylian Mbappe
Facing an intensifying commercial backlash and broadcast blackout, Mbappe published an official apology on his social media channels on Tuesday. The Real Madrid player wrote that his comments during a recent interview were reckless and confirmed that he had not intended to cause offence.
Mbappe explained that he had simply been reacting to an image of himself, but said he now understood that his words had hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities across the world. He offered a direct apology to anyone offended by his statement.
The forward stated that he holds deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, concluding his statement by saying that he sincerely regretted the incident.
