Mbappe apologizes for calling Mao Zedong a dictator, sparking boycott

French football superstar Kylian Mbappe issued a statement on the 27th, officially publicly apologizing for the controversy caused by his remarks about Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the Chinese Communist Party, as a "dictator" in a previous interview.

The Associated Press reported that Mbappe said in a statement: "My remarks were ill-considered and I now understand that they hurt many Chinese people and the global Chinese community."

The endorsement ads of French national team captain Kylian Mbappe were originally seen everywhere in China's subway stations and elevators. However, after he made remarks that seemed to refer to Mao Zedong as a dictator, at least three Chinese companies have announced that they have cut ties with him.

Beverage manufacturer Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese maker Microland issued similarly worded statements on the 27th, announcing the termination of their contracts with the star, and jointly emphasized their opposition to "any words and deeds that hurt national sentiments."

The companies did not clearly state the reasons that prompted their decision, but the statement was released just after a video of Mbappe's interview before appearing on the French online talk show "The Bridge" circulated on the social platform X.

In the video, when asked which of his favorite Internet memes, Mbappe replied: "It's a video made by a netizen... I think it's a Chinese dictator." The screen then showed a spoof of Mbappe's face superimposed on Mao Zedong in a blue Mao Zedong suit.

Because Mbappé's brilliance on the court often outshines his teammates and even the teams he plays for, fans often jokingly call him a "dictator" on the Internet, and memes that transform him into Mao Zedong or other authoritarian leaders have become widely circulated.

In response to the controversy, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said: "Words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be boycotted by all sectors of Chinese society."

The social platform "Little Red Book" also joined the boycott, claiming that its content cooperation with Mbappe had ended on December 31, 2024, and would "remove relevant promotional materials" from the shelves, and expressed its opposition to "any behavior that hurts national sentiments." Mbappé’s Xiaohongshu account has been banned from adding new followers since the 27th.

The products Mbappe endorses in China range from electrolyte drinks to milk and cheese. In an advertisement for Dongpeng, he once said the slogan in Chinese; in an advertisement for Mengniu, he was in the same frame as Argentinian star Lionel Messi.

On Chinese social media, criticism of the star continued to boil. Tags such as "Dongpeng terminates cooperation with Mbappe" and "Many brands terminate cooperation with Mbappe" top the list of hot searches on Weibo, and "fans boycott Mbappe" has also become a hot topic. Some netizens expressed anger at his remarks and even asked him not to set foot in China again.