La Liga president meets Chinese ambassador as Mbappe’s Mao Zedong comment backlash continue

France and Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe has apologised for comments in which he said that he liked a meme in which he was looking like a “Chinese dictator”. Mbappe’s comments was met with swift backlash, with at least three different Chinese companies announcing that it had ended brand deals with him. The Chinese Media Group also said that it has suspended broadcast of the Spanish La Liga, in which Mbappe and Real Madrid play, along with those of any other games in which the French star may feature.

It prompted La Liga to issue an apologetic statement as well.

“My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world,” Mbappe said in a statement Tuesday.

“I apologize to everyone my words have upset,” he said. “This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.”

https://t.co/MQBo9NCSy5

— Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe) October 27, 2026

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La Liga said that it “deeply regrets the offence caused” by Mbappe’s comments. “These comments were made in a personal capacity and do not represent LALIGA. To the extent of our institutional responsibility, we apologize on behalf of LALIGA and all its clubs.

“Spanish football upholds respect, coexistence, and unity among people of all cultures. We convey our respect to China, its institutions, and its people, and we deeply value the support of the millions of fans who follow us each week. We reaffirm our commitment to a relationship built over years.

“We are working with our partners and institutional interlocutors in China to address this situation. Likewise, in collaboration with the clubs and players, we will implement a protocol for awareness and communication that promotes respect for different cultures and helps prevent similar situations,” said the league.

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In the moments after the comments went up, Mbappe’s face appeared in ads across China, from subway stations to inside elevators, AP reports.

Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground said in similarly worded statements Tuesday 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 Mbappe being interviewed ahead of going on the French online talk show “The Bridge” circulated on X.

The China Football Association said in a statement Tuesday that it has “lodged a stern protest” with Real Madrid and demanded that both the player and the football club “issue a public and formal apology.” The association stressed it firmly opposes “any remarks that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.”

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China Media Group also said that it has suspended broadcasts of matches in the Spanish league, La Liga, and other games featuring the French soccer star, and removed advertisements featuring him. The media conglomerate demanded an apology from Mbappe and his club, Real Madrid.

Spanish league president Javier Tebas later Tuesday said on X that he met with China’s ambassador to Spain, Yao Jing, to address the fallout from Mbappe’s remarks and seek a resolution. “Our commitment is to keep working together so that an individual episode does not harm the important advances achieved nor affect the millions of Chinese fans who follow our competitions. China is and will continue to be a strategic partner for La Liga,” Tebas said.

Mbappe calls Mao Zedong a dictator’ when picking his favorite meme

In the video clip, Mbappe is asked about his favorite meme of himself, and he 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 Mbappe’s face on the blue-suited body of Mao Zedong.

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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.

Mao Zedong was a revolutionary who led the Communist Party during its crucial early days, winning a civil war against the ruling Nationalist Party in China, and then founding the modern-day People’s Republic of China.

Mao is revered by many even today. However, he left behind a complex legacy of authoritarian rule, having led campaigns like the Great Leap Forward, an industrialization project which led to a famine that killed an estimated 30 million people.