Mbappé faces China boycott over Mao Zedong comment; sponsors pull back, shirts removed

Mbappé faces boycott in China after calling Mao Zedong a dictator; sponsors distancing, shirts removed from stores, social media accounts restricted.

Kylian Mbappé has triggered a diplomatic row in China after making a joke about Mao Zedong, describing him as a "dictator". Though the Real Madrid forward apologised quickly and was backed by La Liga and his club, the damage has spread across Chinese commerce and social media.

Sponsors including Dior and Hublot have distanced themselves, removing Mbappé content from their platforms. In Beijing's flagship Adidas store, Real Madrid shirts bearing his name have been pulled from shelves. His accounts on Weibo and Xiaohongshu, which had around two million followers, are no longer open to new subscriptions. Videos show Chinese fans burning France shirts with his name and removing his advertisements from public spaces.

The backlash threatens Mbappé's commercial interests significantly: he earns approximately €22 million annually from Chinese partnerships, representing 38% of his total endorsement income. A sustained boycott could damage both his international image and his financial relationships with sponsors.