BEIJING (AP) — Soccer star Kylian Mbappé apologized for comments in which he apparently referred to Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China, as a dictator.
“My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” he said in a statement Tuesday.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back for updates. AP’s earlier story follows below.
French soccer star Kylian Mbappé's face appears in ads across China, from subway stations to inside elevators, but now at least three companies are cutting ties with the national team captain after he made some comments apparently referring to Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China, as a dictator.
Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground announced Tuesday in similarly worded statements that they were ending agreements with the soccer star, each saying they oppose “any words and actions that hurt national sentiment.”
The companies did not specify what prompted their decisions, but they released their statements after a clip that appeared to show Mbappé being interviewed ahead of going on the French online talk show “The Bridge” circulated on X.
In the video, Mbappé is asked about his favorite meme of himself, and the soccer star replies that it was “a video someone made of a guy ... I think he was a Chinese dictator” before the video shows an altered image depicting Mbappé's face on the blue-suited body of Mao Zedong.
Soccer fans online jokingly call the star — who's said to overshadow many of his teammates and even the teams he plays on — a dictator, and memes showing him as Mao or other autocratic leaders are widely circulated.
The Associated Press was unable to reach Mbappé's representatives for comment immediately.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun said in response to a question about the controversy that “words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with joint opposition from all sectors of Chinese society.”
Social media platform RedNote joined the criticism, saying in a separate statement that the company had a content partnership with Mbappé that ended on Dec. 31, 2024, and that it would “remove related promotional materials.” It likewise expressed opposition to “any conduct that hurts national sentiment.”
Mbappé's account on RedNote was banned from accepting new followers Tuesday.
Mbappé has featured in advertising campaigns in China for products from electrolyte drinks to milk and cheese. In one commercial for Dongpeng, Mbappé delivers a slogan in Chinese; in an ad for Mengniu, he appears alongside Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi.
On Chinese social media, there were already several comments criticizing the soccer star.
The hashtags “Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappé” and “Several brands end partnerships with Mbappé” topped Weibo’s trending list. “Football fans boycott Mbappé” was also trending, with some users expressing anger at his remarks or telling him not to come to China.
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Associated Press video producer Olivia Zhang contributed to this report from Beijing.
