Chinese brands drop Mbappe as backlash grows in China over alleged Mao meme remarks

French footballer Kylian Mbappe has faced a growing backlash on Chinese social media over alleged remarks referring to the late Chinese leader Mao Zedong. Several Chinese brands have dropped him as the reaction spread online.

He is reported to have told the French talk show The Bridge that his favourite meme is the one in which his face is placed on a Chinese dictator. As he spoke, a meme appeared showing his face superimposed on an image resembling Mao. In unverified clips circulating online, he adds that it really makes him laugh and that he uses it with his friends all the time.

Mbappe did not name Mao directly, and the original video is no longer on the show's YouTube channel, but screengrabs have spread on Chinese social media.

China's foreign ministry also responded. Spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing had noted the relevant reports, and that words and deeds hurting the feelings of the Chinese people would naturally meet opposition from all sectors of Chinese society.

Neither Mbappe nor The Bridge has commented yet. It is unclear when the interview was broadcast. Chinese football forum Dongqiudi drew attention to the comments on Monday night in a statement describing them as inappropriate and as hurting the feelings of Chinese people.

A backlash followed quickly online. Some users criticised Mbappe, who is hugely popular in China and has major endorsements there, for benefiting from the Chinese market while making remarks that offend the Chinese public. Another comment on Weibo said international public figures in particular should show greater respect and sensitivity, and that national sentiment must never be taken lightly.

Mao founded Communist China in 1949. The report recalls his attempt at rapid industrialisation, called the Great Leap Forward, which led to a famine that killed tens of millions, followed by the Cultural Revolution. His death in 1976 brought a new era as China began opening to the global economy, yet the Chinese Communist Party has continued to hail him as a national icon whose legacy is beyond reproach.

The backlash is still growing. According to The Paper, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV is suspending La Liga matches. Some reports also claim CCTV's news apps no longer carry content related to the French striker.

The Chinese brands have not explicitly said why they were ending their contracts, but they referred to hurt sentiments. Mengniu, the country's largest dairy producer, said it firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people. Drinks company Dongpeng said it firmly opposes and has a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments.

Because the brands did not mention the controversial clip directly, some social media users are also asking what exactly Mbappe said or did that was offensive.

Mbappe, who joined Real Madrid in August 2024 in the account given in the report, has been nicknamed 'the dictator' in football because of his influence and control over club and international operations, a portrayal reinforced for some by his 2024 lawsuit against a French influencer and kebab shop owner over the use of his name in a sandwich description. In a September interview with France Football, Mbappe acknowledged the light-hearted side of many memes, but said they sometimes reveal a lack of political and human awareness, and that there is a less funny side to being compared with people who caused widespread harm through history.