Mbappe apologises over Mao Zedong comment

Real Madrid player Kylian Mbappe has issued an apology for his "ill-judged" comment about former Chinese leader Mao Zedong following the termination of partnerships with two major Chinese brands. In a statement on X, Mbappe admitted that his remark had hurt many people in China and Chinese communities worldwide and expressed regret for the offense caused.

The controversy arose after the video surfaced, in which Mbappe described a meme featuring his face on Mao's image as the funniest he had seen, seemingly referring to Mao as "some guy — I think he's a Chinese dictator." Dongpeng Beverage, a Chinese drinks manufacturer, and Mengniu, China's largest dairy producer, terminated their partnerships with Mbappe due to their opposition to remarks deemed offensive to national sentiments.