Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga face long redemption road in China
Summary
Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid and La Liga apologised after a video showed Mbappe joking about an internet meme that placed his face on Mao Zedong. The remarks triggered criticism in China, prompted Chinese brands to cut ties with Mbappe and led state broadcaster CCTV to remove Spanish top-flight matches from its schedule. Experts say the apologies may not quickly repair the damage to the club and league’s standing in China.Key Facts
- The video, which reportedly was filmed in April, circulated online this week.
- Mao remains officially revered in China, and public mockery of him is taboo.
- Chinese state media and social media users criticised Mbappe, though state media did not explain his specific remarks.
- A spokesman for China’s Foreign Ministry said the government took Mbappe’s apology seriously.
- China’s response follows a 2019 dispute in which a tweet supporting Hong Kong protesters led CCTV to stop showing NBA games for more than a year.
- The NBA’s Adam Silver said the dispute cost the league hundreds of millions of dollars.
- La Liga’s international broadcasting rights were valued at 748 million euros for the 2024–25 season, according to the article.
- Marca reported that China accounts for 10 to 15 percent of Real Madrid’s jersey and other merchandise sales.
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