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China boycott grows against Mbappé after Mao 'dictator' remarks
The Real Madrid forward has apologised, but sponsors have dropped him, his shirts have been pulled and his social media accounts are blocked in China.
FootVal Newsroom
Kylian Mbappé is facing a growing boycott in China after describing former Chinese leader Mao Zedong as a dictator. Despite issuing an apology, the fallout has continued to escalate, according to RMC Sport and Der Spiegel.
Chinese sponsors have cut ties with the Real Madrid striker, his name has been scrubbed from online platforms and his shirts are no longer available for sale there. Chinese state broadcasters have also reduced his television coverage, Der Spiegel reports.
The controversy has spilled into French politics. Green Party national secretary Marine Tondelier publicly defended Mbappé, the France captain, while members of the left-wing La France Insoumis movement declined to take a clear position, RMC Sport reports.
Mbappé, 27, is in the form of his life this season, having scored 11 goals in 10 appearances for Real Madrid and carrying a FootVal valuation of €203m. Whether the commercial damage in China proves lasting remains to be seen.
Sources
This article is based on reports by:
- Der Spiegel — Kylian Mbappé: Real-Star muss nach Mao-Witz in China einlenken
- RMC Sport — Polémique Mbappé en Chine: nom effacé, maillot introuvable, réseaux sociaux bloqués… Comment le boycott contre la star du Real Madrid se met en marche
- Foot Mercato — Marine Tondelier défend Kylian Mbappé face à la Chine
Written by the FootVal newsroom from the reports below, with figures from FootVal’s own database. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. · How we report