Chinese companies abandon Mbappé over meme joke about Mao Zedong

Mbappé lost Chinese sponsorships after joking that his favourite meme of himself had his face superimposed on Mao Zedong; Chinese brands and the Foreign Ministry condemned the remarks as disrespectful.

Kylian Mbappé lost sponsorship deals with Chinese companies after making comments about a viral meme during pre-Ballon d'Or interviews. When asked about his favourite meme featuring himself, the French forward chose an image where his face was superimposed on Mao Zedong, the former Chinese Communist Party leader and president from 1943 to 1976. "My favourite Mbappé meme? The one where they put my face on a Chinese dictator's. It really makes me laugh, I always use it with my friends," he said.

The remarks triggered a major backlash in China, where joking about the deceased leader is considered deeply disrespectful. Beverage giant Dongpeng was the first Chinese brand to act, issuing a statement: "Our company firmly opposes and adopts a zero-tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiment. Effective immediately, we terminate all cooperation with Kylian Mbappé." Dairy producer Megniu followed suit with an identical decision. China's Foreign Ministry also weighed in through its spokesperson, stating: "We have taken note of relevant reports. Words and actions that offend the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally encounter opposition from all sectors of Chinese society."

The controversy came as Mbappé finished second in the Ballon d'Or voting behind Harry Kane.