Kylian Mbappé Apologises for "Ill-Judged" Comment About Mao Zedong
French football star Kylian Mbappé has apologised for a comment he made about Mao Zedong, which he called "ill-judged." The remark led to Chinese companies ending their partnerships with him and a Chinese media group suspending broadcasts of matches featuring him.
By The Junior Post
Published
Recommended for ages 10+. Editorial guidance, not a guarantee of individual suitability.
French football star Kylian Mbappé has issued an apology for what he described as "ill-judged" comments related to Mao Zedong. The apology was made on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, and was published in French, Mandarin, and English on his social media accounts.
The controversy began after a video from a French podcast, "The Bridge," showed Mbappé discussing a meme. In the video, he mentioned seeing his face photoshopped onto "some guy — I think he's a Chinese dictator." This was understood to be a reference to Mao Zedong.
Mbappé stated in his apology, "My comment was ill-judged and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world." He added, "I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry."
Following his initial comments, several Chinese companies ended their agreements with Mbappé. Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu, and cheese maker Milkground all announced they were stopping their partnerships. They stated their opposition to "any words and actions that hurt national sentiment."
China Media Group also stopped broadcasting matches from the Spanish league (La Liga) and other games that featured Mbappé. They also removed advertisements that included him. La Liga President Javier Tebas met with China's ambassador to Spain to discuss the situation. La Liga also issued its own apology, saying it regretted the offense caused by Mbappé's personal remarks.
Knowledge Vault
Impact of Public Statements
When famous people, like athletes or actors, make public statements, their words can reach many people around the world. These statements can sometimes cause strong reactions, both positive and negative, and can affect their relationships with fans, sponsors, and even entire countries. This is why public figures often need to be careful about what they say.
National Sentiment
National sentiment refers to the shared feelings, opinions, and pride that people in a country have, often related to their history, culture, or national identity. Comments that are seen as disrespectful or harmful to these shared feelings can cause widespread upset and lead to strong reactions from individuals, companies, and even governments.
Check your understanding
- What was the main reason Chinese companies ended their partnerships with Kylian Mbappé?
- He changed football teams.
- His comments were seen as disrespectful to Chinese history and people.
- He refused to play in China.
- He asked for more money than they were willing to pay.
- How did Kylian Mbappé respond to the controversy?
- He ignored the situation completely.
- He made more comments about the meme.
- He issued an apology in multiple languages, expressing regret.
- He blamed the podcast for the misunderstanding.
- Besides companies ending partnerships, what other action was taken in response to Mbappé's comments?
- He was banned from playing football.
- China Media Group suspended broadcasts of matches featuring him.
- He was asked to join a different football league.
- His social media accounts were shut down.