France soccer captain Kylian Mbappe apologised on Tuesday after Chinese brands cut ties with him over comments referring to the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, underscoring how swiftly international celebrities can come unstuck in a crucial market.
Mbappe, 27, is heard in a video saying the funniest meme he had seen of himself was one where his face had been photoshopped onto that of “some guy — I think he’s a Chinese dictator”, an apparent reference to the composite image of him and Mao.
“During a recent interview, I reacted to an image of myself,” Mbappe said in a statement. “My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world.”
“I apologise to everyone my words have upset,” he added. “This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.”
In China, satire or jokes about Mao, modern China’s founding leader who ruled the country from 1949 until his death in 1976, are considered disrespectful and remain a social taboo.
A spokesperson for China’s Foreign Ministry said words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people “will naturally be met with joint opposition from all sectors of Chinese society”.
Mbappe’s faux pas highlights the risks for athletes and brands in China’s huge market. Mbappe, one of the world’s most prominent athletes, has ties with firms including sportswear brand On Holding, hotel chain Accor and Lego.
Other major firms and organisations that have previously incurred the wrath of Beijing, Chinese netizens and media include fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana, Swiss watchmaker Swatch and the National Basketball Association.
“Mbappe’s team knew, or should have known, what the true cost of Chinese brand endorsements was all about,” said Terrence Burns, sports sponsorship expert and CEO of the T Burns Sports Group. “Athletes today are their own media outlets and their teams should train them as such.”
‘What did he say?’
Chinese state media outlet China Daily said Mbappe’s remark had “triggered a backlash among his Chinese fans, threatened his lucrative commercial relationships and offered a sharp reminder of the limits of celebrity influence”.
Many Chinese media outlets on Tuesday condemned Mbappe’s apparent remarks, but did not repeat them.
“What did he say? Many Chinese would rather not repeat it,” the state-backed Global Times said.
“The message from Chinese consumers is clear: Respect is not optional; one doesn’t get to profit from China while disrespecting it. Not a chance.”
The apology did not convince everyone straight away. “Not accepted. Not forgiven!!,” one user wrote on China’s social media platform Weibo. Another wrote: “He doesn’t realise he was wrong. He just knows to be afraid now.”
Brands including dairy companies Mengniu and Shanghai Milkground Food Tech as well as Eastroc Beverage said they were ceasing all cooperation with Mbappe, who plays for Real Madrid, effective immediately.
The companies said they “firmly oppose and have zero tolerance for any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.”
China’s state television has halted broadcasts of all matches and events involving LaLiga and Mbappe, and all advertisements involving Mbappe have been removed, a state-backed media outlet, The Paper, reported on Tuesday.
Spain’s LaLiga President Javier Tebas issued an apology on X and said his organisation deeply regretted the alleged comments that have caused discomfort and offence in China.
“We are taking the measures within our reach and working directly with our partners and interlocutors in China to overcome this situation,” Tebas wrote. “A relationship built over so many years cannot be damaged by a single episode.”
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said it would listen to what Mbappe had to say after his apology, and “even more importantly” watch what he does.
“We hope La Liga, Real Madrid, and Mbappe himself will genuinely learn a lesson from this, offer a sincere apology, and thoroughly correct their mistakes,” it said in a statement.
Real Madrid declined to comment.
Denmark’s Lego, which has a Mbappe building set on sale in China, said it could not comment. The Mbappe set still featured on Lego’s Chinese website on Tuesday.
On Holding and Accor did not immediately respond to requests for comment.