Kylian Mbappé apologises after Chinese sponsors drop him over dictator comment

Mbappé said his comment was ill‑judged and expressed regret after Dongpeng and Mengniu ended sponsorship deals.

By Felo News Desk · Published Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:11:51 GMT

Kylian Mbappé issued an apology on Tuesday after two Chinese sponsors terminated their contracts, saying his remark about a "Chinese dictator" had offended fans.

What happened

A video circulated online showing Mbappé preparing for an interview and joking that the funniest meme he had seen was his face digitally placed on "some guy – I think he’s a Chinese dictator". The clip, recorded in April, was shared by the French football podcast "The Bridge" and spread widely on social media on Monday.

Following the video’s spread, drinks producer Dongpeng and dairy giant Mengniu announced they were ending all cooperation with the French forward, citing a zero‑tolerance policy for actions that offend national sentiments.

What the reports add

Al Jazeera’s first article noted that the comment was not a direct naming of Mao Zedong, but the description led many Chinese fans to interpret it as a reference to the former leader. The second article added that jokes about Mao are a social taboo in China and that advertisements featuring Mbappé for Dongpeng’s sports drink had run during the FIFA World Cup.

What was said

Mbappé wrote on his social‑media accounts, "My comment was ill‑judged and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world. I apologise to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry," the statement was published in French, Mandarin and English.

Dongpeng said, "Our company firmly opposes and has a zero‑tolerance policy towards any behaviour that offends national sentiments," and added that it was terminating cooperation with immediate effect.

Mengniu echoed the sentiment, stating, "Mengniu firmly opposes and has a zero‑tolerance policy towards any words or actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people," and also ended the partnership immediately.

How it came about

The incident follows a pattern of heightened sensitivity to remarks about Chinese political figures, as seen in recent controversies involving international athletes and brands. Felo News previously covered fan‑related backlash in sports, such as the Ronaldo‑Saudi fan chant dispute (Ronaldo calls for life‑ban of Saudi fans) and the Nikola Jokić fan‑ban episode (Jokić tells booing fans they are no longer welcome), highlighting the growing impact of fan sentiment on sponsorships.

Key facts

Mbappé apologised for an ill‑judged comment linking his face to a Chinese dictator (aljazeera.com)
Dongpeng and Mengniu terminated their sponsorship contracts with Mbappé (aljazeera.com)
The video was recorded in April and shared by the podcast "The Bridge" on Monday (aljazeera.com)