Chinese Brands Drop Mbappé After Remark Seen as Calling Mao a Dictator

At least three Chinese companies have cut ties with French national team captain Kylian Mbappé after comments in which he appeared to describe Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China, as a dictator. Mbappé's face has been a familiar sight in China for months, in ads ranging from subway stations to elevators in residential buildings.

Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground each announced on Tuesday that they were ending their agreements with the player. Their statements were similarly worded, and each said the company opposes "any words and actions that hurt national sentiment."

The companies did not say exactly what led to their decisions. However, the announcements followed the spread on X of a clip that appeared to show Mbappé being interviewed before an appearance on the French online talk show "The Bridge."

In the video, Mbappé is asked about his favorite meme of himself. He answers that it was "a video someone made of a guy .. I think he was a Chinese dictator." The clip then shows an altered image placing Mbappé's face on the blue-suited body of Mao Zedong.

Soccer fans online often joke that the star is a dictator, reflecting a view that he overshadows many of his teammates and even the teams he plays for. Memes depicting him as Mao or other autocratic leaders circulate widely.

The Associated Press was not immediately able to reach Mbappé's representatives for comment. China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun, asked about the controversy, said 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 also joined the criticism. In a separate statement, it said its content partnership with Mbappé ended on Dec. 31, 2024, and that it would "remove related promotional materials." The company likewise voiced opposition to "any conduct that hurts national sentiment." Mbappé's RedNote account was not accepting new followers on Tuesday.

The player has appeared in Chinese advertising campaigns for products including electrolyte drinks, milk and cheese. In one Dongpeng commercial, he delivers a slogan in Chinese, and in a Mengniu ad he appears alongside Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi.

Criticism was already building on Chinese social media. The hashtags "Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappé" and "Several brands end partnerships with Mbappé" topped Weibo's trending list. Another, "Football fans boycott Mbappé," was also trending, with some users expressing anger over his remarks or telling him not to come to China.