Madrid / Beijing, 28 October. Real Madrid has formally apologised “to the Chinese people” for the words of its forward Kylian Mbappé, who in a video interview described the man in a meme with the footballer’s face superimposed on a portrait of Mao Zedong as “some guy — I think he’s a Chinese dictator”, the club said in a statement on 28 October.
“Our club maintains a deep respect for China, its history, its culture and its citizens, as well as for the millions of Chinese fans who feel affection and admiration for Real Madrid,” the club wrote, adding that it joined the player’s own public apology. The same day Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun, asked at a briefing about Mbappé’s apology, said: “We take seriously the apology he has made,” according to the transcript on the ministry’s website.
The trigger was a clip from the French programme The Bridge. Asked about the funniest meme of himself, Mbappé described an image of his face on that of “some guy — I think he’s a Chinese dictator”; according to media descriptions, the screen showed a portrait of Mao. He did not name Mao, and the clip was later taken down. Memes that put Mbappé’s face on portraits of military and political leaders play on his nickname “the dictator”, which the European press uses for the player’s influence over his club and national team.
There were not two sponsors who dropped Mbappé, but at least three. On 27 October beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy company Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground announced the end of their partnerships. Dongpeng said it had a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiment.
The same day, 27 October, Guo Jiakun answered an AFP question about the sponsors: “Any rhetoric or action that hurts the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be rejected across the sectors in China,” the briefing transcript records. That day Mbappé published an apology in French, Chinese and English. “My comment was ill-judged and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” he wrote, adding that he has deep respect for the Chinese people and their history.
The row also hit broadcasts. State broadcaster CCTV, as ESPN and Reuters reported, stopped showing matches featuring Mbappé, and the Migu platform said it would not air Real’s next Sunday game. LaLiga apologised on behalf of the league and its clubs, and its president Javier Tebas did so personally on X. According to Al Jazeera, sources at LaLiga said Tebas was considering a trip to China to head off financial losses for Spanish football. CCTV warned in a commentary that the sincerity of the apology would be judged by his actions.
Not everyone thought an apology was needed. The US House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party wrote that Mbappé “should not apologize for calling Mao Zedong a dictator”.
What it means: A careless remark about a meme cost the footballer three Chinese sponsors in two days, and cost Spanish football its broadcasts on Chinese state television. The player, the club and the league all apologised; China’s foreign ministry said it takes the apology seriously, and state television that it will judge by actions.
Who benefits: Chinese companies — cutting ties with Mbappé shows buyers where they stand on what China treats as a matter of national sentiment. For Real Madrid and LaLiga, the apologies are about keeping a lucrative Chinese market: match broadcasts and sponsorship deals.
Background: Mao Zedong (1893–1976) founded the People’s Republic of China and chaired the Communist Party of China; mocking him is taboo in China. Kylian Mbappé has played for Real Madrid since 2024 and captains the France national team.
