Mbappe issues apology as China halts La Liga broadcasts over Mao joke

Kylian Mbappe issued a public apology on Tuesday after a Chinese state media report confirmed that national television had stopped airing all La Liga matches and events involving the Real Madrid forward. The decision follows a sharp rise in domestic criticism over a video clip in which the France captain made a joke referencing a meme that compares him to Mao Zedong, the late leader of China.

The controversy began when a video surfaced online Monday. In the clip, filmed in April, Mbappe described a meme as the funniest he had seen, showing his face digitally superimposed on "some guy, I think he's a Chinese dictator." He did not explicitly name Mao Zedong, who governed China from 1949 until his death in 1976. The Bridge, a French football podcast, originally shared the footage before removing it from circulation.

The remark struck a sensitive nerve in a country where satire about Mao remains a social taboo. Chinese state media avoided quoting the specific words, instead describing the incident as "inappropriate remarks concerning China." The Global Times, a state-run newspaper, questioned why a foreign athlete would profit from the market while disrespecting its history. It noted that one "doesn't get to profit from China while disrespecting it."

Commercial partners reacted quickly to the negative press. Dongpeng, a Chinese beverage company, announced on Tuesday that it was ending its contract with Mbappe "immediate effect." The firm stated it maintains a "zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments." Dairy producer Mengniu also severed its ties with the player. Reports indicated that luxury brands Dior and Hublot removed Mbappe-related content from their Weibo pages. At the Adidas flagship store in Beijing's Sanlitun district, Real Madrid jerseys were still available, but none displayed the forward's name.

The suspension of broadcasts represents a major financial and cultural blow to Spanish football in the region. The Paper, a state-backed outlet, reported that advertisements featuring Mbappe were pulled from state channels. Terrence Burns, a sports sponsorship expert, said Mbappe's team "knew, or should have known, what the true cost of Chinese brand endorsements was all about." The situation mirrors a 2019 dispute in which China suspended NBA sponsorships and pulled games from state television for a year.

Mbappe, who is 27, released a statement in French, Mandarin, and English on Tuesday. He described his comment as "ill-judged" and acknowledged that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities worldwide. He explained that he had reacted to an image of himself and added, "I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry."

Chinese diplomats acknowledged the gesture. Guo Jiakun, a foreign ministry spokesman, said on Wednesday that Beijing takes the apology "seriously." The statement signaled an intent to assess the sincerity of the apology while managing the domestic political fallout.

Real Madrid and La Liga moved to contain the damage at the executive level. League president Javier Tebas met with China's ambassador to Spain, describing China as "a strategic partner." Reuters reported that Tebas is considering a trip to China to prevent a large financial loss for the league. Real Madrid issued its own apology on Wednesday, stating that the club "maintains a deep respect for China, its history, its culture and its citizens." The club and the league have a strained relationship due to a power struggle in Spanish football, but both sides coordinated their response to the crisis.