Chinese brands drop Mbappe as backlash grows over Mao joke
· Sports · BBC Sport, BBC News, NBC News
Chinese brands have terminated partnerships with French footballer Kylian Mbappé following a backlash over alleged comments and a meme referencing Mao Zedong. Mbappé made the remarks on The Bridge, hosted by his Real Madrid teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni, where he described a meme involving his face superimposed on a Mao-like image. The meme, part of a running joke about his 'dictator' nickname, sparked outrage in China where Mao is revered by the Communist Party. Chinese social media users called for boycotts of Mbappé and Real Madrid amid the tightly controlled internet environment.
Why it matters
Mbappé's China endorsements are at risk, impacting his income and Real Madrid's commercial ties in a key market where he is popular.
Read the original report — BBC Sport
Join us on Telegram
Breaking news the moment it lands. At 10,000 members we ship the Android app.