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| Kylian Mbappé’s |
On Tuesday, major Chinese consumer brands moved with unusual speed to sever ties with Real Madrid and France forward Kylian Mbappé after a video circulated online in which the 27-year-old appeared to describe a meme of his face superimposed on a historical Chinese figure as the funniest he had seen—referring to the man as “some guy—I think he’s a Chinese dictator.”
The remarks, widely interpreted as referencing Mao Zedong, the founding leader of the People’s Republic of China who died in 1976, crossed a longstanding social and political red line in China.
Dongpeng Beverage, known for its popular electrolyte and sports drinks (including AI-generated ads featuring Mbappé that aired during the recent World Cup period), issued a statement declaring a “zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments” and terminating “all cooperation with Kylian Mbappe” with immediate effect.
China’s largest dairy producer, Mengniu, followed with nearly identical language, opposing “any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.” Cheese maker Milkground and the social platform RedNote also distanced themselves, with RedNote noting a prior content partnership had already ended and that related materials would be removed.
The video appears to stem from an appearance linked to the French online talk show or podcast “The Bridge.” In circulating clips, Mbappé is asked about his favorite meme of himself. He responds along the lines of the one that made him laugh most involving a video of “a guy… I think he was a Chinese dictator,” adding that he uses it often with friends online or while gaming.
An altered image of his face on a figure resembling Mao in a Mao suit or propaganda-style setting is shown. He does not name Mao explicitly. AFP Fact Check could not immediately fully verify the authenticity of the circulating clips, and reports noted the original material was no longer readily available on the show’s YouTube channel, though screenshots and excerpts spread rapidly on Chinese platforms.
Why the reaction was so swift and severe
In China, public jokes or casual references that diminish Mao remain a profound taboo. Mao is officially venerated as the “Great Helmsman” who led the Communist revolution and proclaimed the People’s Republic in 1949. Criticisms or irreverent portrayals are treated as attacks on national dignity and historical legitimacy, not mere historical commentary. The phrase “hurt the feelings of the Chinese people” is a well-worn official and commercial formulation used in cases involving Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, Xinjiang, or foundational Communist history.
Chinese football outlet Dongqiudi quickly condemned the remarks as “offensive to China and the Chinese people” and damaging to fans’ feelings. On Weibo, “Dongpeng Beverage ends cooperation with Mbappe” and related hashtags about brands cutting ties and fans boycotting him topped trending lists. Users called the comments a “red line” crossing and demanded removal of his image from product packaging.
Reports also indicated broader content cleanup, including related material disappearing from some state media apps and questions around La Liga coverage involving the player. China’s foreign ministry spokesperson noted the reports and stated that words and deeds hurting Chinese feelings would meet opposition from society.
Until the incident, Mbappé enjoyed significant popularity in China. He amassed millions of followers on local social media and carried the affectionate nickname “Guigui” (turtle), drawn from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles memes that had circulated widely. Brands had invested in him with ads ranging from sports drinks (including Chinese-language slogans) to dairy products, sometimes pairing him with other global stars such as Lionel Messi. That commercial warmth evaporated almost overnight.
Mbappé’s earlier reflections on “dictator” memes
This was not the first time Mbappé had addressed meme culture around authoritarian or military imagery. In a September interview with French newspaper L’Équipe, he discussed earlier comparisons portraying him as a military dictator.
He acknowledged a humorous side—“There’s a part of it that’s funny. You can tell that, for some people, it’s all in good fun”—but added a more serious note: the damage such historical figures caused made the comparisons less amusing. “Being compared to individuals who murder others, or who have brought misery to millions upon millions of people—well, I don’t think I’ve ever done anything like that in my life,” he said. The latest comments appear to sit uneasily alongside that earlier nuance, at least in the eyes of Chinese audiences and partners.
The timing amplified the story. The controversy erupted a day after Mbappé finished second to England’s Harry Kane in the Ballon d’Or, the sport’s most prestigious individual award. What might have been a low-key clip among European football fans became a national flashpoint in the world’s second-largest economy.
A familiar pattern for global stars and brands
Mbappé’s case fits a well-documented pattern. Foreign athletes, entertainers, and companies have repeatedly discovered that comments touching Taiwan (often referred to as a “country”), Hong Kong protests, Tibet, the Dalai Lama, or core historical figures can trigger rapid commercial consequences. In 2019, Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s tweet supporting Hong Kong protests led China to suspend NBA sponsorships and pull games from television for an extended period. In 2023, former NBA player Dwight Howard faced fury after referring to Taiwan as a country while appearing with Taiwanese political figures. Luxury brands, fashion houses, and entertainers have faced boycotts or forced apologies over website listings treating Taiwan, Hong Kong, or Macau as separate entities, or over associations with sensitive topics.
These episodes illustrate the dual reality of China’s sports and entertainment market: enormous commercial opportunity paired with strict expectations of political and historical sensitivity.
Companies operating there often adopt “zero-tolerance” language precisely to signal alignment with domestic sentiment and avoid secondary boycotts. For athletes whose global brand includes Chinese sponsorships, social media followings, and merchandising, a single offhand remark can erase years of careful market cultivation.
Broader implications
The episode raises recurring questions about the intersection of global celebrity, free expression, humor, and market access. From a Western perspective, a lighthearted reference to an internet meme may appear trivial or protected speech.
Within China’s political and cultural framework, it registers as disrespect toward a foundational national figure and, by extension, the narrative of the state. Brands respond not only to official cues but also to intense online nationalist pressure that can form and escalate within hours.
For Mbappé personally, the financial hit from Chinese deals is real but likely secondary to his core European club and international earnings. The reputational and market-access damage in China may prove more lasting if content continues to be restricted or if fan sentiment hardens. As of the latest reports, neither Mbappé nor representatives had issued a public response, and verification of the full original video context remained incomplete.
The story also underscores how internet meme culture—often playful, ironic, and decontextualized in Europe and North America—collides with highly contextualized historical sensitivities elsewhere.
Mbappé’s longstanding nickname and meme persona in China had previously been a source of endearment; the same digital culture that elevated him also supplied the imagery that triggered the backlash.
In the end, two major Chinese brands (and additional partners) chose immediate termination over any measured clarification or waiting period. That speed itself is revealing: in the Chinese commercial ecosystem, once “national sentiments” are deemed offended, the safest corporate path is swift public dissociation.
For global sports stars navigating the Chinese market, the lesson is stark and repeatedly reinforced—humor that plays well among friends online can carry steep, immediate costs when it brushes against China’s historical and political red lines.
Samuel O. Sulaimon is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Naijapiz. He covers Global, News, Sports, Finance, Faiths, Education, Politics and Technology.
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