Kylian Mbappé faces the breakup of partnerships in China
Kylian Mbappé, the Real Madrid striker, deepens the controversy in China after remarks deemed offensive, which has led to the termination of several partnerships. His apologies presented on Wednesday did not soothe the criticism on Chinese social media, and the phrase “China Ses” appears in the debates.
Termination of Chinese partnerships
Sports Football, several brands have distanced themselves from the footballer, and his image has vanished from platforms such as Weibo and Xiaohongshu. Three major Chinese companies announced on Tuesday the end of their cooperation with the Frenchman. State television even suspended the broadcast of Spanish league matches.
Apologies and player reaction
The captain of the France team apologized on Tuesday in the podcast The Bridge, explaining that the funniest meme links him to a “Chinese dictator”. He admitted that his remarks about Mao Zedong were inappropriate. His apologies presented on Wednesday were not enough to calm the criticism.
The spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Guo Jiakun, said at a regular press briefing: “We take the apologies presented by the concerned individual seriously”. This official statement followed the announcements of partnership terminations.
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On Chinese social media, the reaction was strong. A user wrote on Weibo: “His remarks were offensive towards China and the Chinese people, so they cannot be translated”. It is now impossible to follow the footballer’s accounts on Weibo and Xiaohongshu, where he had more than two million followers.
Brands such as Dior and Hublot have removed Mbappé‑related content from their Weibo accounts, according to Chinese media. AFP journalists found no results when searching his name in Mandarin. The AFP agency reported these facts in its coverage.
In stores, Mbappé’s name has disappeared. In the flagship Adidas store in Beijing, journalists saw Real Madrid jerseys, but none bore the player’s name. Unofficial merchandise, however, remains available on the Taobao app.
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Despite the controversy, Mbappé remains very popular in China, where football generates strong enthusiasm. He is affectionately nicknamed “Guigui” in reference to a meme about the Ninja Turtles. La Libre notes that his nickname enhances his local appeal, even though the memes that mix him with historical figures are both funny and less funny.