Kylian Mbappe has apologised in Chinese, French and English after a comment about a meme depicting him as a “Chinese dictator” triggered a backlash in China, but broadcasts featuring the Real Madrid forward have not resumed.
La Liga president Javier Tebas and Real Madrid have also apologised, although China’s state media corporation has yet to confirm that the apologies have been accepted.
The controversy is the latest chapter in a series of incidents that have seen Mbappe portrayed online as a dictator.
In July 2022, France president Emmanuel Macron tried to persuade Mbappe to remain at Paris St-Germain. Although the intervention worked temporarily, French media and supporters had already begun referring to the France forward as Mobutu, in a reference to Congolese dictator Mobutu Sese Seko.
That description gained fresh momentum in March 2024, when cafe owner and blogger Mohamed Henni named a burger after Mbappe. It was described as having a “round bun like Mbappe’s head”. Representatives of the player demanded that Henni remove it from the menu within eight days.
Henni described the request as an attack on the freedom to make jokes and called Mbappe’s behaviour dictatorial. Several memes followed, although the issue did not develop further at the time.
On 17 November 2024, an image of Mbappe dressed as Mao Zedong appeared on Reddit. Mao remains a significant but controversial figure in China. Supporters credit him with unifying the country under Communist Party rule, introducing land reform and establishing China as a socialist state, while critics point to campaigns that caused chaos, repression and the deaths of huge numbers of people.
The “dictator Mbappe” image returned in January 2026 after Xabi Alonso was dismissed as Real Madrid manager. Supporters blamed Mbappe, claiming he had undermined the coach. Following defeat in the Spanish Super Cup, Alonso had called on his players to form a guard of honour for Barcelona’s players, but Mbappe allegedly stopped them doing so.
In March, Mbappe was left on the bench for a friendly against Colombia, with N'Golo Kante captaining France. Mbappe came on late and asked Cherki to take the armband from Kante and bring it to him. At around the same time, Real Madrid lost to Bayern Munich in the Champions League, prompting jokes that Mbappe had decided Bayern players Michael Olise and Dayot Upamecano would not go to the World Cup.
During the World Cup in July 2026, France manager Didier Deschamps jokingly bowed before Mbappe, while Ousmane Dembele called him Mobutu. Videos, memes and AI-generated images portraying the forward as a dictator appeared in large numbers.
On 26 October, Mbappe was asked during a French online show which meme featuring him he found funniest. He replied: “The one that made me laugh the most was the one where I am portrayed as a Chinese dictator. I often send it to my friends.”
He did not mention Mao Zedong by name, but the reference to a “Chinese dictator” caused immediate concern. In China, insulting references to Mao are considered disrespectful, while a 2018 law prohibits defaming revolutionary leaders.
The programme was quickly closed, but the comment spread online. Chinese companies Mengniu, Dongpeng and Milkground ended their partnerships with Mbappe, followed by the removal of his advertising from Chinese social media platforms.
By Monday evening, CCTV had cancelled broadcasts of Spanish league matches, removed Mbappe-related videos and even edited out his two goals against Barcelona in the latest El Clasico.
On 27 October, Mbappe issued his apologies. Tebas then apologised to Chinese supporters, saying he deeply respected China, its institutions and its people. He also met China’s ambassador to Spain.
CCTV said it hoped La Liga, Real Madrid and Mbappe had learned their lesson, offered genuinely sincere apologies and would correct their mistakes.
On 28 October, Real Madrid apologised on its official website for any discomfort caused to the Chinese people by Mbappe’s recent comments. All three parties have now apologised, but broadcasts remain suspended and China has not confirmed that it accepts them.