Coming off his brace in El Clasico, in which Real Madrid topped Barcelona in Catalonia, things have only gone downhill for Kylian Mbappe. Just hours after finishing as the runner-up in the 2026 Ballon d’Or race, comments Mbappe made about China’s Mao Zedong have put LaLiga in a world of trouble in the Middle Kingdom.
Mbappe has grown used to seeing his face and name brought up in thousands of memes on social media. Jokingly, Real Madrid‘s No. 10 is often referred to as “The Dictator,” with his face photoshopped onto some of the most infamous figures in world history.
However, Mbappe wasn’t careful enough when addressing the topic, and his comments, which were meant as a joke, rubbed Chinese fans the wrong way. This has led to a harsh backlash, with Mbappe, Real Madrid, and LaLiga as a whole now facing the consequences.
“My favorite Mbappe meme? The one where they put my face on a Chinese dictator,” Mbappe reportedly said, referring to former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, during an interview with The Bridge. “It really makes me laugh, I use it with my friends all the time.”
Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid gestures during the LaLiga EA Sports match.
Mbappe apologizes for his comment
Mbappe is never one to mince words and is an active political voice on several issues related to world politics. Thus, it’s hard to imagine he isn’t familiar with Mao Zedong, meaning that calling the former Chinese Communist Party leader a dictator wasn’t a mistake. Perhaps it was a slip of the tongue, but an extremely costly one nevertheless. Shortly after the strong reaction in China, Mbappe released a statement of his own.
“During a recent interview, I reacted to an image of myself. 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,” Mbappe’s statement read, per @MadridXtra on X. “This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history. I am sincerely sorry.”
China suspends LaLiga broadcasts
As a result of Mbappe’s viral comment about Mao Zedong, China‘s state-owned television broadcaster decided to suspend the broadcasting of LaLiga games until further notice.
Establishing a presence in the Chinese market was a strategic goal LaLiga had achieved through years of work, and that house of cards has come crashing down in seconds after Mbappe made a comment many believed was harmless but that stirred up controversy in China. Now, LaLiga is paying the full price.
For added context, some years ago, LaLiga scheduled El Clasico for an early noon kickoff to attract more viewers in the Asian market, particularly in China. All that work may have gone down the drain after Mbappe called Mao a dictator while laughing and speaking strictly about memes, not politics.
LaLiga sends out a statement
Instead of sitting idle with their arms crossed, LaLiga responded with a lengthy statement expressing regret over Mbappe’s comments and seeking a peaceful way out of the predicament Real Madrid’s star has put the entire league in.
“La Liga deeply regrets the offense caused by Kylian Mbappe’s recent comments among Chinese fans,” LaLiga president Javier Tebas stated on X. “These comments were made in a personal capacity and do not represent LALIGA. To the extent of our institutional responsibility, we apologize on behalf of LALIGA and all its clubs.
“Spanish football upholds respect, coexistence, and unity among people of all cultures. We convey our respect to China, its institutions, and its people, and we deeply value the support of the millions of fans who follow us each week. We reaffirm our commitment to a relationship built over years.
“We are working with our partners and institutional interlocutors in China to address this situation. Likewise, in collaboration with the clubs and players, we will implement a protocol for awareness and communication that promotes respect for different cultures and helps prevent similar situations.“
Mbappe loses business deals in China
LaLiga and Real Madrid aren’t the only ones affected by Mbappe’s comments. The French star is paying a steep price, too. According to Europa Press, Chinese brands like Dongpeng and Mengniu have immediately terminated their partnerships with Mbappe following his labeling of Mao Zedong as a dictator.
Dongpeng released a statement making it clear that it firmly opposes any action that hurts Chinese national pride and maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward such actions. It remains to be seen whether more brands will follow suit and react to Mbappe’s comments.
Still, it’s clear that the controversy has led to significant financial losses for the player, his club, and LaLiga as a whole. Whether bridges can be rebuilt remains to be seen. For the time being, though, Mbappe’s and LaLiga’s apologetic statements might be good starts.
Key takeaways
- Kylian Mbappe’s remarks calling Mao Zedong a dictator triggered widespread controversy in China.
- China’s state-owned broadcaster suspended televising LaLiga matches until further notice.
- Kylian Mbappe released statement apologizing for comment about Mao Zedong.
