La Liga distances itself from Mbappé, 'deeply regrets' French star's China comments

La Liga president Javier Tebas distanced the league from Mbappé's comments about Mao Zedong, apologizing to China after Chinese state TV suspended broadcasting Spanish league matches.

Kylian Mbappé has sparked a major controversy in China after joking about a meme depicting him as former leader Mao Zedong. In a video shared on social media, the Real Madrid forward called the image his favorite and referred to Mao as a "Chinese dictator." The comments have triggered a significant backlash, with three major Chinese companies immediately terminating sponsorship deals with Mbappé, citing zero tolerance for remarks that "hurt national feelings."

China's state broadcaster CCTV suspended transmission of La Liga matches in response. The Chinese government elevated the matter to a diplomatic level, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun stating in a press conference that any words or actions hurting Chinese people's feelings would face rejection from society.

La Liga president Javier Tebas responded by issuing a formal apology on behalf of the league. "La Liga deeply regrets Kylian Mbappé's statements, which have caused discontent and indignation in China," Tebas said, emphasizing the league's commitment to its relationship with China, a market of over 1.4 billion people where football is hugely popular. He characterized Mbappé's comments as an isolated incident and pledged to work with Chinese partners to resolve the situation.