Chinese Brands Sever Ties With Kylian Mbappé Over Alleged 'Dictator' Remark
At least three major Chinese companies have announced the termination of their endorsement deals with the French soccer star following online circulation of a clip where he is perceived to have referred to Mao Zedong as a dictator.
Several Chinese companies have announced the termination of their endorsement agreements with French soccer star Kylian Mbappé after a video clip circulated online in which he is perceived to have made a remark about a "Chinese dictator."
Beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu, and cheese maker Milkground issued similar statements Tuesday, each indicating they are ending their partnerships with the national team captain. The companies stated their opposition to "any words and actions that hurt national sentiment."
The companies did not explicitly link their decisions to Mbappé's alleged comments, but the statements followed the circulation of a video clip. In the clip, Mbappé appears to be discussing a meme created by a fan, describing it as a video of "a guy... I think he was a Chinese dictator." The video then shows an altered image that places Mbappé's face on a depiction of Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China.
Memes of Mbappé being humorously depicted as a dictator, including comparisons to Mao, are reportedly common among soccer fans online. The Associated Press was unable to immediately reach representatives for Mbappé for comment.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Guo Jiakun addressed the controversy, stating 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."
The social media platform RedNote also announced it would be removing promotional materials related to Mbappé, stating that its content partnership with the soccer star concluded on December 31, 2024. RedNote echoed the sentiment of opposing "any conduct that hurts national sentiment."
Mbappé has been a prominent figure in advertising campaigns across China, appearing in commercials for various products. In past advertisements for Dongpeng, he delivered slogans in Chinese, and for Mengniu, he was featured alongside Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi.
On Chinese social media platforms, the controversy gained traction, with hashtags such as "Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappé" and "Several brands end partnerships with Mbappé" trending on Weibo. Other trending topics included "Football fans boycott Mbappé," with some users expressing anger and urging him not to visit China.
Olivia Zhang contributed to this report from Beijing.