Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid Apologise Over Mao Remarks

Football player Kylian Mbappé faced immediate backlash in China after an online video showed him making remarks about late leader Mao Zedong, according to Africanews and other outlets. Major Chinese brands reportedly dropped the Real Madrid forward following the controversy, which highlighted strict taboos surrounding historical figures in the country.^1,3,16

As public anger mounted, Mbappé issued an apology for his comments, which was followed by an official apology from Real Madrid after initial responses failed to satisfy critics. According to reports from the BBC and the South China Morning Post, La Liga President Javier Tebas also engaged in discussions with the Chinese ambassador and established a crisis unit to manage the fallout.^2,6,8

Chinese state media warned that the player's apology would be evaluated based on future actions, while the Chinese Foreign Ministry noted it took the statement seriously. Despite these apologies, Chinese state television and broadcasters continued to withhold broadcasts of Real Madrid matches, maintaining a blackout on the team's games.^4,5,14,15