Kylian Mbappé, the star footballer from France, has been dropped by several major Chinese brands due to his comments in a video where he referenced Mao Zedong, the founder of modern China. In the widely shared video on social media, Mbappé was asked which meme of himself he finds the funniest. In response, he said: "This meme is an edited image of my face next to the face of another man, I think a Chinese dictator."
Consequences of Mbappé's Comments
In China, jokes and comments about Mao Zedong are considered unacceptable and disrespectful. Following these comments, two major Chinese brands, Dongpeng and Mengniu, announced that they would cease their collaboration with Mbappé. Dongpeng stated in a press release: "Our company strongly opposes any behavior that insults national feelings and has a zero-tolerance policy in this regard." Additionally, Mengniu stated in a separate announcement: "Effective immediately, our company is halting all collaborations with Kylian Mbappé."
Impact on Football and Media
In the wake of this controversy, China's state television network, CCTV, has suspended the broadcast of La Liga matches from Spain. Mbappé currently plays club football for Real Madrid, and this action reflects the negative impact of his comments on brands and media in China. This controversy arose just a day after English player Harry Kane won this year's Ballon d'Or, surpassing Mbappé.
At the time of this news release, Mbappé has not yet commented on the matter. This issue could have profound effects on his professional future in the Chinese market, which is one of the largest football markets in the world.
