Mbappé Apologizes After Mao Comments Trigger Chinese Sponsor Exits

Kylian Mbappé apologized Tuesday after comments referring to Mao Zedong sparked a backlash in China and prompted Chinese brands to end commercial partnerships with the France captain. Drinks company Dongpeng and dairy producer Mengniu announced that they were terminating their cooperation with the Real Madrid forward.

Former Chinese leader Mao died in 1976. The controversy followed the circulation of a podcast clip in which Mbappé discussed an internet meme that placed his face on Mao’s body. Reuters reported that the video had been taken down. Mbappé subsequently described his comment as ill-judged and said he understood that it had hurt people in China and Chinese communities elsewhere.

His statement apologized to those upset by the remarks and said that causing offense had not been his intention. The Associated Press account carried by Sportsnet also reported the apology and the apparent reference to Mao as a dictator.

Dongpeng and Mengniu cited comments that offended Chinese national sentiment in their statements ending the relationships. AFP’s reporting carried by the Daily Sun identified both companies and noted that the Dongpeng announcement became a leading topic on Weibo. The financial value of the terminated agreements was not established in the reports.

The consequences reported Tuesday concern specific commercial relationships. They do not establish that every sponsor has left Mbappé or that his playing contract has changed. Reuters identified other partners including On, Accor and Lego, but a list of existing affiliations is not an announcement about how those companies will respond.

For the brands involved, the immediate change is the withdrawal of an athlete endorsement association. For Mbappé, the public response now includes both a written apology and the loss of those announced Chinese partnerships. Any broader assessment of the financial impact requires contract values and further company statements that have not been provided.