{"id":12045,"date":"2026-10-28T14:13:09","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T14:13:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=12045"},"modified":"2026-10-28T14:13:09","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T14:13:09","slug":"real-madrid-apologise-to-chinese-people-for-mbappes-mao-dictator-remark-football","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=12045","title":{"rendered":"Real Madrid apologise to Chinese people for Mbappe\u2019s Mao \u2018dictator\u2019 remark | Football"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Mocking Mao Zedong is taboo in China, which is a lucrative market for players and teams such as Kylian Mbappe\u2019s Real.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Published On 28 Oct 2026<\/span>28 Oct 2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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La Liga club Real Madrid \u2060\u2060issued an apology on Wednesday \u2060\u2060after their French superstar Kylian Mbappe triggered a fierce backlash<\/a> over his comments referring to the former Chinese leader Mao \u2060\u2060Zedong as a \u201cdictator\u201d.<\/p>\n

After apologies from Mbappe<\/a> and La Liga failed to quell the negative response in China, La Liga President Javier Tebas set up a crisis unit \u2060\u2060and met with Chinese ambassador Yao Jing.<\/p>\n

The controversy highlighted the risks for athletes and brands in the lucrative Chinese market, where satire about Mao, modern China\u2019s founding leader, who ruled the country from 1949 until his death in 1976, remains a social taboo.<\/p>\n

\u201cReal Madrid CF wishes to express its apologies to the Chinese people for any discomfort caused by the recent words of our player Kylian Mbappe,\u201d Real said in a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur club maintains a deep respect for China, its history, its culture and its citizens, as well \u2060\u2060as for the millions of Chinese fans who \u2060\u2060feel affection and admiration for Real Madrid,\u201d the statement added.<\/p>\n

Real Madrid game not on TV<\/h2>\n

China\u2019s state-owned broadcasting platform Migu will not be showing Real Madrid\u2019s La Liga game against Racing Santander on Sunday, while Chinese brands, including dairy companies Mengniu and Shanghai Milkground Food Tech as well as Eastroc Beverage, have ceased \u2060\u2060all cooperation with Mbappe.<\/a><\/p>\n

Migu is scheduled to show nine of La Liga\u2019s 10 games this weekend, with Real Madrid\u2019s match the only \u2060\u2060one not covered. Migu did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Reuters news agency.<\/p>\n

La Liga moved quickly \u2060\u2060to set up a crisis unit and reached out to Real Madrid, a significant move following years of strained relations between Tebas and the club due to a power struggle within Spanish football. Real Madrid recently called for Tebas\u2019 resignation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Both parties put aside their differences, acknowledging the potential immediate \u2060\u2060and long-term financial repercussions of Mbappe\u2019s comments. Following Real\u2019s statement, sources at La Liga said Tebas was considering travelling to China to neutralise the threat of a huge financial loss for \u2060\u2060Spanish football.<\/p>\n

\"Bottles
Bottles of Dongpeng Beverage Group\u2019s \u2018Bushuila\u2019 electrolyte drink featuring French football star Kylian Mbappe on the packaging are displayed at a convenience store in Beijing on October 27, 2026. [Pedro Pardo\/AFP]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

La Liga will also consider strengthening its institutional engagement with Beijing amid serious \u2060\u2060concerns about a sharp drop in revenue, as Chinese state television awaits further gestures of reconciliation.<\/p>\n

In a video on a French podcast that has since been taken down, Mbappe is heard discussing a humorous meme where his face had been photoshopped onto an image he described as \u201csome guy \u2013 I think he\u2019s a Chinese dictator\u201d.<\/p>\n

Fans have been creating memes superimposing Mbappe\u2019s \u2060\u2060face on images of military and political leaders to suggest that he has the power to influence decisions at the teams he plays for. Mbappe has been nicknamed \u201cthe dictator\u201d<\/a> in \u200c\u200cthe European press.<\/p>\n

On Wednesday, when asked what China thought of Mbappe\u2019s apology<\/a>, foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said: \u201cWe take seriously the apology that \u200c\u200cthe \u200c\u200cperson has made.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Mocking Mao Zedong is taboo in China, which is a lucrative market for players and teams such as Kylian Mbappe\u2019s Real. Published On 28 Oct 202628 Oct 2026 La Liga club Real Madrid \u2060\u2060issued an apology on Wednesday \u2060\u2060after their French superstar Kylian Mbappe triggered a fierce backlash over his comments referring to the former…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_templately_pack_id":"","_templately_imported_at":"","_templately_source":"","_templately_import_session_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12045","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-international-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t