"An absolute taboo": why Mbappé's comments about Mao Zedong shocked China so much

Real Madrid forward Mbappé faces Chinese boycott and sponsorship losses after joking about Mao Zedong in a viral video, prompting state condemnation and CCTV suspension of La Liga broadcasts featuring him.

A viral video showing Kylian Mbappé joking about Mao Zedong has triggered a major diplomatic row in China. The Real Madrid forward, who has been the subject of memes depicting him as authoritarian in the dressing room, appeared to reference a meme superimposing his face onto an image of the former Chinese leader, calling it the funniest internet content he had seen.

The comments struck a nerve in China, where Mao remains an officially revered national hero despite his authoritarian rule. Experts note that criticism of Mao is effectively treated as criticism of the Communist Party and current leader Xi Jinping, making it a political taboo. The Chinese Foreign Ministry condemned the remarks, stating that "any speech or act that hurts the feelings of the Chinese people naturally meets with common rejection from Chinese society."

The fallout has been swift and severe. State broadcaster CCTV suspended all La Liga matches featuring Mbappé and removed advertisements featuring him. Three major Chinese companies—beverage giant Dongpeng, dairy producer Mengniu, and cheese maker Milkground—immediately terminated sponsorship deals with the 27-year-old, citing zero tolerance for acts or words that offend national sentiment.