A little joke, a laugh, some fun – and suddenly, a full-blown controversy. Kylian Mbappe said in an interview that he found it highly amusing to see pictures depicting him as a dictator, with his face superimposed on a portrait of Mao Zedong. The problem, however, was that he referred to him as “some Chinese dictator”. The Frenchman was simply trying to have a laugh and play along with a joke circulating on social media, but things ended up taking a serious turn. The Chinese are not known for taking kindly to such jokes, and they have made their position clear, describing the remarks as an insult to national sentiment and threatening to turn their backs on Spanish football altogether.
Mbappe in China storm: Mao meme sparks sponsor exodus and threatens La Liga broadcasts
They have decided to stop broadcasting La Liga matches, all because of Mbappe – a major problem for Real Madrid, given the size of the Chinese market. Like any company that depends on its audience, customers and everyone else who consumes its content, the club had to find a way to contain the damage. The crisis PR machine had to kick into action, but the question remains whether the Chinese authorities will accept the apologies coming from the Spanish capital.
More specifically, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has suspended its coverage of La Liga matches and content related to Mbappe, while advertising campaigns and promotional materials featuring the Real Madrid superstar are also set to be withdrawn. This is a major headache for Los Blancos, who stand to lose a considerable amount of money, making it time to put out the fire.
Our club holds 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 joins the public apology expressed by Kylian Mbappe, in which the player himself has conveyed his regret for his words and reiterated his respect for the Chinese people.””Real Madrid reaffirms its commitment to the values of respect, coexistence, and understanding among cultures, and expresses its desire to continue strengthening the bonds of friendship and affection that unite it with China and its citizens.”
To recap yesterday’s developments, several major companies decided to end their partnerships with the Real Madrid star. They included “Dongpeng Beverage Group”, whose brand portfolio features “Bu Shui La”, as well as “Mengniu” and “Milkground”. In recent months, Mbappe has been one of the faces of major advertising campaigns in China, with his name and image appearing on buses, public transport stops and lifts across the country’s cities, particularly as part of promotional activities linked to the 2026 World Cup. The end of his partnership with Mengniu is especially significant, given that the company is one of China’s largest dairy producers and has invested heavily in sports marketing for years, working with FIFA, the International Olympic Committee and Lionel Messi.
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Real Madrid have faced a backlash from China before. In September, Chinese state media criticised the Madrid club over a social media post that mentioned Nepal and Tibet together in connection with flooding. The post was interpreted as presenting Tibet as a territory on an equal footing with an independent state. Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen had previously been forced to apologise for sharing Instagram content deemed racist and offensive towards people from Asian countries, while Barcelona issued an apology in April after the flag of Taiwan appeared on a page associated with its international football academy.
This is something that needs to be smoothed over before Real Madrid risk losing access to such a lucrative market.