Mbappé China controversy: why Real Madrid has much to lose financially

Real Madrid faces potential financial losses in China after Mbappé's comments about Mao Zedong sparked boycotts; the club derives 10-15% of merchandise sales from the market.

Kylian Mbappé has become embroiled in controversy in China after comments made on the podcast "The Bridge" presented by Aurélien Tchouaméni. During the episode, Mbappé reacted to memes depicting him as a dictator, describing one image as the funniest—not realizing it showed Mao Zedong, founder of the People's Republic of China. The remarks sparked significant backlash, leading Mbappé to lose three endorsement deals with Chinese brands. He and the podcast have since apologized.

Real Madrid stands to suffer considerable financial consequences. While Mbappé controls 80% of his image rights (an exceptional arrangement compared to other players), the club still derives between 10 and 15% of its merchandise sales from China. Mbappé's shirt is the club's best-selling jersey. A boycott has been launched on Chinese forums, and the social network RedNote has begun removing Mbappé's content from user algorithms.

La Liga president Javier Tebas issued a public apology on social media, stating the league "deeply regrets" Mbappé's statements and their impact in China. He later confirmed meeting with China's ambassador to Spain, reaffirming the league's commitment to the Chinese market as a strategic partner.