Three Chinese Brands Drop Mbappé After Dictator Remark

Three major Chinese consumer brands announced on Tuesday that they are ending their commercial agreements with Kylian Mbappé. The move follows a viral video in which the France and Real Madrid star referred to Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the People's Republic, as a dictator. The companies include beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu, and cheese maker Milkground.

Each brand released a statement with nearly identical wording, stating they oppose any words or actions that hurt national sentiment. The firms did not specify the exact trigger for their decisions but issued the notices after a clip from an interview ahead of the French online talk show The Bridge circulated on X. In the footage, Mbappé is asked about his favorite self-meme and responds that it was a video of a man he believes was a Chinese dictator. The clip then shows an edited image of Mbappé’s face on the body of Mao Zedong.

Mbappé addressed the controversy on his social media accounts on Tuesday. He described his comment as ill-judged and acknowledged that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities worldwide. He apologized to those upset, stating that his words were not intended to cause offense and expressing deep respect for the Chinese people and their history.

RedNote, a social media platform that held a content partnership with Mbappé until December 31, 2024, also joined the wave of criticism. The company announced it would remove related promotional materials and expressed opposition to any conduct that damages national sentiment. Mbappé has previously featured in advertising campaigns for electrolyte drinks, milk, and cheese in China. One Dongpeng commercial featured him delivering a slogan in Chinese, while a Mengniu ad placed him alongside Lionel Messi.

Reaction on Chinese social media intensified quickly after the video surfaced. The hashtags Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappé and Several brands end partnerships with Mbappé topped Weibo’s trending list. Another trend, Football fans boycott Mbappé, gathered users expressing anger at his remarks or telling him not to visit China.

LaLiga, the Spanish professional football league, issued a statement on Tuesday to distance itself from the incident. The league expressed deep regret for the offense caused among Chinese fans and clarified that the comments were made in a personal capacity. It apologized on behalf of LaLiga and all its clubs, reaffirming its commitment to a relationship built over years with partners in China. The league said it is working with institutional interlocutors to address the situation and will implement a protocol to promote respect for different cultures.

The incident marks a sharp reversal for Mbappé, whose face has appeared in ads across the country. The swift response from multiple brands and the league underscores the commercial sensitivity surrounding cultural references in the Chinese market. The brands did not announce any replacement ambassadors in their initial statements.