La Liga moves to repair China ties after Mbappe row

France's Kylian Mbappe expressed regret over his comments about late Chinese leader Mao Zedong, who ruled the country from 1949 until his death in 1976. In a statement, the Real Madrid forward admitted his comment was "ill-judged" and caused distress to many in China and Chinese communities worldwide. Mbappe apologized for upsetting those his words offended, emphasizing that it was not his intention.

The backlash underscored the risks faced by athletes and brands in the lucrative China market, where satire on Mao remains a social taboo. La Liga president Javier Tebas met with the Chinese ambassador in Spain to address the fallout. Tebas stated that the league remains committed to working with China, despite the incident. Several brands, including Mengniu, Shanghai Milkground Food Tech, and Eastroc Beverage, ceased all cooperation with Mbappe immediately, citing their firm opposition to any actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.

State television stopped broadcasting matches and programs involving La Liga and Mbappe, and all advertisements featuring the player were withdrawn. Sports sponsorship expert Terrence Burns commented that the Chinese brand endorsements market has taught teams a valuable lesson. Chinese state media outlets reported that Mbappe's remarks had triggered a backlash among his Chinese fans, threatened his lucrative commercial relationships, and served as a reminder of the limits of celebrity influence.