"His remarks were hurtful": Mbappé still criticised on Chinese social media despite apology

France captain's apology for Mao Zedong meme comments fails to quell backlash on Chinese social media; three major brands have ended partnerships and state TV suspended La Liga broadcasts.

Kylian Mbappé apologised on Tuesday for remarks about Mao Zedong made during an appearance on The Bridge podcast, where he described a meme associating him with the former Chinese leader as one that made him laugh. His comments, in which he appeared to reference Mao as "a Chinese dictator", sparked a diplomatic incident.

Three major Chinese companies announced they were ending their partnerships with the Real Madrid star, and state television suspended broadcasts of Spanish league matches. Mao Zedong remains a central figure in official Chinese history, still described as a hero despite the millions of deaths historians associate with his rule.

Despite the apology, criticism continued to mount on Chinese social media platforms on Wednesday. Mbappé's accounts on Weibo and Xiaohongshu (RedNote)—which together had over two million followers—became impossible to follow. Major brands including Dior and Hublot removed content featuring the France captain from their Weibo accounts, and Mbappé shirts disappeared from Adidas stores in Beijing, though unofficial merchandise remained available on Taobao. Mbappé is hugely popular in China, where he is affectionately nicknamed "Guigui" (tortoise) after an older meme.