Chinese Brands Drop Mbappé Over 'Chinese Dictator' Meme Remarks

Three major Chinese companies terminated their sponsorship agreements with French football star Kylian Mbappé on Tuesday, October 27, after a video circulated showing him joking about an edited image depicting him as what he described as a Chinese dictator.

Dongpeng Beverage, dairy producer Mengniu and cheese maker Milkground announced the immediate cancellation of their partnerships, accusing the Real Madrid forward of offending Chinese national sentiment.

The decisions followed widespread criticism on Chinese social media and a response from Beijing's Foreign Ministry, turning an internet meme into a commercial dispute involving one of football's most prominent figures.

Chinese Sponsors Terminate Contracts

Dongpeng, Mengniu and Milkground issued closely aligned statements announcing an immediate end to their commercial relationships with Mbappé.

The companies cited a policy of zero tolerance for behavior that could "hurt the feelings of the Chinese people" or "offend national sentiments."

Dongpeng, whose Bu Shuila electrolyte drink had featured Mbappé in promotional campaigns during the 2026 World Cup, had placed his image on bottles distributed across China.

The company had also used AI-generated advertisements depicting the French international consuming its products. Bottles carrying his likeness remained on sale in Beijing as the sponsorship cancellations were announced.

Mengniu, China's largest dairy producer, had previously featured Mbappé alongside Lionel Messi in advertising campaigns.

Milkground separately confirmed it was ending its partnership using similar language.

Chinese social media platform RedNote, also known as Xiaohongshu, clarified that its commercial arrangement with Mbappé had expired on December 31, 2024. It said it would remove remaining promotional material associated with the player and expressed opposition to conduct deemed offensive to Chinese national sentiment.

Reports also indicated that Dior, On and Hublot had removed content featuring Mbappé from their Weibo accounts.

What Mbappé Actually Said

The controversy originated from a circulating excerpt of The Bridge, a French online interview program associated with Mbappé's teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni.

Asked which internet meme featuring himself he found most entertaining, Mbappé referred to an edited picture portraying him as a historical political figure.

He described the person in the image as "some guy – I think he’s a Chinese dictator" and said he regularly shared the meme with friends during online conversations and PlayStation sessions.

The footage then displayed an image featuring Mbappé's face superimposed on a figure wearing clothing resembling a Mao-era uniform, against a propaganda-style backdrop incorporating a red flag.

Mbappé did not explicitly identify Mao Zedong, China's former leader, in the quoted remarks.

The distinction became central to the controversy as the visual association with Mao drove much of the subsequent reaction.

The original recording was subsequently removed from the program's YouTube channel, although excerpts and screenshots continued circulating.

AFP noted in its early coverage that the authenticity of the circulating material could not immediately be established in full.

Beijing Responds As Online Backlash Escalates

China's Foreign Ministry acknowledged the controversy, with spokesperson Lin Jian warning that remarks perceived as disrespectful toward the Chinese public would provoke opposition.

The ministry said "words and deeds that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally be met with opposition from all sectors of Chinese society."

The controversy quickly spread across Weibo, where a topic concerning Dongpeng's decision to terminate its partnership became one of the platform's leading trends.

Reports indicated that the discussion attracted hundreds of millions of views.

Chinese football platform Dongqiudi condemned the remarks as insulting to China and its population and said it would not translate the comments.

Some users demanded the removal of Mbappé's photograph from drink packaging and other commercial materials.

State broadcaster CCTV was also reported to be suspending La Liga coverage featuring the French forward and removing associated material from its applications, according to reports carried by The Paper and Global Times.

Other reports suggested that users encountered difficulties following Mbappé's accounts on certain Chinese social media platforms.

A Major Commercial Market At Risk

The cancellations mark a commercial setback for a player who had built substantial recognition in China through football, advertising and social media.

Mbappé has accumulated millions of followers across Chinese platforms, where supporters have nicknamed him "Guigui," a reference to the Chinese word for turtle and an internet joke linking his appearance to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

His sponsorship agreements had made him a visible figure in China's consumer market, particularly through products carrying his name and likeness.

The disputed image emerged from a broader collection of internet memes depicting Mbappé as historical dictators, a trend that gained prominence around the 2026 World Cup.

The meme phenomenon has been traced to a 2024 legal disagreement involving French influencer Mohamed Henni and the use of Mbappé's name in connection with a kebab business.

In a September interview with L'Équipe, Mbappé had already addressed the dictator-themed memes, acknowledging their humorous appeal while cautioning that such imagery could reflect insufficient awareness of the suffering associated with historical political figures.

Another Celebrity Caught In China's Political Sensitivities

The dispute adds Mbappé to a succession of international celebrities and companies that have encountered commercial pressure in China after comments or actions touching on politically sensitive subjects.

Previous controversies have involved references to Taiwan, Tibet and Hong Kong. Mao, who died in 1976, remains a particularly sensitive historical figure in Chinese public discourse.

The timing also coincided with a significant moment in Mbappé's sporting career. The sponsorship cancellations came one day after Harry Kane won the 2026 Ballon d'Or, with Mbappé finishing second.

Unlike a conventional advertising dispute, the latest episode has combined corporate contract cancellations with criticism from state institutions and Chinese online platforms.

Neither Mbappé nor The Bridge had publicly responded to the controversy at the time of the initial reports.