French football captain Kylian Mbappe has lost partnerships with two major Chinese corporations following the circulation of a video in which the player made lighthearted comments regarding Mao Zedong. The incident, which has sparked significant backlash on social media, has resulted in the immediate termination of agreements with energy drink manufacturer Dongpeng Beverage Group and dairy producer Mengniu.
The controversy stems from an online video in which the 27-year-old forward remarked that the most amusing internet meme he had encountered involved his face being digitally superimposed onto an image of a figure he identified as a "Chinese dictator." The comment was an apparent reference to various memes circulating online that depict the footballer alongside historical figures. In China, where Mao Zedong is revered as the nation's founding leader, such commentary is widely viewed as deeply disrespectful and represents a significant social taboo.
Dongpeng, which had featured Mbappe in advertisements—including AI-generated content during the recent FIFA World Cup—issued a statement on Tuesday confirming the end of their partnership. The company emphasized a "zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments," stating that all cooperation with the athlete had ceased with immediate effect. Similarly, Mengniu, China’s largest dairy producer, released a statement asserting its firm opposition to any words or actions deemed to have hurt the feelings of the Chinese people, declaring that its collaboration with the Real Madrid star had been terminated.
The reaction in China was swift, with the hashtag regarding the end of Dongpeng’s cooperation with the player becoming the top-trending topic on the social media platform Weibo. Many users expressed indignation, with some characterizing the remarks as a violation of a "red line" and labeling them completely unacceptable. Calls were also made for the removal of the player's image from commercial products currently on the market, such as Dongpeng's electrolyte drink bottles.
Further criticism arrived from Dongqiudi, one of China's most prominent online football outlets. In a statement issued on Monday evening, the organization described Mbappe's remarks as "offensive to China and the Chinese people," noting that the comments had caused distress among local fans. Prior to this incident, Mbappe had addressed the nature of such internet memes in a September interview with the French sports newspaper L'Equipe. At that time, he acknowledged the humor in some depictions but expressed reservations regarding comparisons to historical figures associated with mass suffering, stating that he did not believe he had ever engaged in conduct comparable to such individuals.
This is not the first time a global sports figure has faced repercussions in China for comments perceived as politically sensitive. In recent years, public figures have faced significant backlash for their remarks on issues related to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Tibet. For instance, in 2023, former NBA star Dwight Howard faced public fury after referring to Taiwan as a country in a video. Similarly, in 2019, a tweet by Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey supporting Hong Kong protests led to the suspension of NBA sponsorships and the withdrawal of games from Chinese television broadcasts for a full year.
The current developments mark a significant shift in Mbappe’s standing in China, where he was previously a highly popular figure with a massive social media following. Often referred to by the nickname "Guigui"—a Chinese translation of "turtle" derived from his association with a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles meme—the forward now faces a complete severing of these major commercial ties. The announcement comes just one day after the football star finished behind Harry Kane in the race for the Ballon d'Or, the sport's most prestigious individual award.
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