Real Madrid issues public apology to China over Mbappé's Mao Zedong comm…
Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé have issued public apologies to China following widespread backlash, sponsor dropouts, and broadcast bans over remarks about Mao Zedong.
- Headline: Real Madrid issues public apology to China over Mbappé's Mao Zedong comm…
- Dispatch Summary: Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappé have issued public apologies to China following widespread backlash, sponsor dropouts, and broadcast bans over remarks about Mao Zedong.
- Verification: Corroborated across independent reporting outlets with primary sources and real-time wire transmissions.
Three Chinese companies ended their partnerships with Kylian Mbappé after an internet video captured the 27-year-old French football star and Real Madrid forward discussing an online meme and referring to Mao Zedong as a Chinese dictator. The remarks, drawn from behind-the-scenes footage recorded in March on the French online show The Bridge, circulated widely on social media late on Monday while Mbappé was present at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London. Public criticism in China was immediate, prompting state broadcaster CCTV and China Media Group to suspend broadcasts of Spanish La Liga matches featuring the player, while domestic beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy producer Mengniu, and cheese manufacturer Milkground moved swiftly to terminate their commercial arrangements with him.
That financial and broadcast blockade exposed the acute commercial vulnerabilities facing elite athletes who depend on overseas consumer markets for sponsorship revenue. When global superstardom intersects with the strict political sensitivities of the world's second-largest economy, corporate partners and state broadcasters can dismantle a player's off-pitch portfolio in a matter of hours.
How did the remarks spark an international sports and diplomatic fallout?
The controversy escalated rapidly after the clip from The Bridge gained traction online, showing Mbappé talking about internet memes featuring his face superimposed on an image of Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China, and referring to him as some guy—I think he's a Chinese dictator.
Because public criticism or ridicule of the former leader remains a deeply sensitive subject in China, the comments generated an immediate public backlash across Chinese social media platforms, including Weibo, where a user account associated with the player displayed a message stating that the user was banned from following due to violating laws of the Weibo Community Convention. China Media Group demanded an apology from La Liga, Mbappé, and Real Madrid, backing up the demand by pulling Spanish league broadcasts.
The speed of the backlash caught European football institutions unprepared, forcing a frantic diplomatic containment effort from both the player and his club.
What did Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid say in their apologies?
Facing mounting commercial losses and the suspension of league broadcasts, Mbappé issued a public apology in French, Chinese, and English on October 27, acknowledging that his remarks were inappropriate and recognising the hurt they had caused. My comment was ill judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities
around the world, Mbappé said in his statement, stressing that causing distress was never his intention and expressing deep respect for the Chinese people and their history. La Liga president Javier Tebas separately expressed regret over the offence caused and emphasised the importance of maintaining the competition's relationship with Chinese fans.
The following day, on October 28, 2026, Real Madrid released an official statement endorsing its player's apology and offering its own formal regret to the Chinese people. Real Madrid C.F. wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for any discomfort that may have been caused by the recent words of our player Kylian Mbappé,
the Spanish club said, adding that 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.
Real Madrid noted that it joined the public apology expressed by Mbappé and reaffirmed its commitment to the values of respect, coexistence, and understanding among cultures.
China Media Group confirmed it received the apology from Real Madrid without adding further comment, while Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry, stated on Wednesday that Beijing took the apology seriously.
Which corporate sponsors and partners severed ties with the player?
The fallout struck directly at the forward's lucrative commercial portfolio, with multiple major domestic brands announcing the immediate termination of their contracts. Advertisements featuring the French captain were also reported to have been removed across domestic platforms as companies rushed to distance themselves from the remarks.
- Dongpeng, the Chinese beverage company, ended its partnership with Mbappé.
- Mengniu, the major dairy producer, terminated its commercial agreement with the player.
- Milkground, the cheese manufacturer, cut ties citing opposition to words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.
The commercial exodus demonstrates that corporate sponsors in major Asian markets will act decisively to protect their domestic brand equity when international athletes trigger political controversies.
Will the apologies restore his business deals and broadcast access?
While China's Foreign Ministry signalled on Wednesday that Beijing took Mbappé's apology seriously, officials noted that it remained to be seen whether the statements would help him regain the brand deals or other businesses he lost on Tuesday. The official acknowledgment from Beijing provides a diplomatic off-ramp for the player and his club, but commercial reinstatement rests entirely with private corporate partners and state-backed broadcasters who have yet to indicate whether they will resume partnerships or restore La Liga match transmissions.
That leaves the player facing a permanent contraction of his overseas commercial footprint even after satisfying state diplomatic demands. Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid bowed to pressure because they had no other choice, but the swift destruction of his Chinese sponsorship deals proves that global sports marketing leaves zero margin for off-script remarks.
