Mbappe loses Chinese sponsorship deals over alleged Mao Zedong joke

French football star Kylian Mbappe is facing widespread criticism in China after a video circulated online in which he appeared to joke about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong, prompting several major companies to terminate their sponsorship agreements with the Real Madrid forward.

Three Chinese companies — beverage giant Dongpeng, dairy producer Mengniu and cheese manufacturer Milkground — announced on Tuesday, October 27, that they were ending their partnerships with Mbappe with immediate effect, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.

In nearly identical statements, the companies said they maintained a zero-tolerance policy toward remarks or actions that offend national sentiment.

The controversy began after a video spread across social media showing Mbappe discussing internet memes featuring his image.

During the conversation, the French national team captain appeared to describe his favorite meme as an edited picture in which his face had been superimposed onto the body of someone he referred to as a Chinese dictator.

The image appeared to depict Mao Zedong, the former Chinese leader who founded the People's Republic of China in 1949.

AFP's digital verification team initially said it had been unable to independently confirm the authenticity of the video.

The edited image is one of several internet memes combining Mbappe's facial features with those of historical figures. There is no indication that the footballer created the image himself.

However, the apparent reference to Mao sparked criticism in China, where the former leader remains a central figure in the country's official historical narrative.

Mao, who died in 1976, led the communist revolution and established the People's Republic of China. He continues to be officially celebrated for his role in the country's founding, although his political legacy remains controversial internationally.

Chinese companies cut ties with football star

The backlash quickly spread across Chinese social media platforms, where discussions about Mbappe's remarks attracted millions of users.

The hashtag concerning Dongpeng's decision to end its partnership with Mbappe became the most discussed topic on Weibo, reportedly generating approximately 430 million views.

Some social media users described the comments as unacceptable and argued that the footballer had crossed a sensitive political boundary.

Others called for stronger action against Mbappe, including legal measures and compensation from the companies involved.

The controversy is particularly significant because Mbappe has a substantial commercial presence in China.

The Real Madrid forward has approximately one million followers on Weibo and another 1.1 million on Xiaohongshu, also known internationally as RedNote.

His popularity has made him a prominent figure in Chinese advertising campaigns, particularly for consumer products and major brands.

The termination of his sponsorship agreements represents a commercial setback in one of the world's largest consumer markets.

Chinese television suspends Spanish football broadcasts

The controversy has also reportedly affected television coverage of Spanish football in China.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV suspended broadcasts of Spain's La Liga and matches featuring Mbappe following the circulation of the video.

According to Chinese news outlet The Paper, citing sources within the broadcaster, the suspension took effect on Monday evening.

The measures reportedly included removing advertisements and promotional videos featuring the French striker from the broadcaster's programming.

The decision has raised questions about the potential impact on Spanish football's broadcasting presence in China, where Real Madrid and other major European clubs have large fan bases.

Mbappe's representatives had not publicly responded to the controversy at the time of the initial reports.

The incident highlights the commercial risks international sports stars can face when comments interpreted as politically sensitive trigger public criticism in major overseas markets.

Photo: Instagram/k.mbappe