October 28: Chinese state broadcaster CCTV has suspended its LaLiga coverage after French superstar Kylian Mbappé joked about a meme featuring Mao Zedong, a row that has also cost the Real Madrid forward two Chinese sponsors.
In footage from French talk show The Bridge, Mbappé was asked which meme of himself made him laugh the most.
“When they made a video of a guy, I think he was a Chinese dictator, and they put my…,” he said, gesturing to his face, as an image of him appeared superimposed on the former Chinese Communist Party chairman. “This really makes me laugh, I use it with my friends all the time.” He did not name Mao.
The clip was removed from YouTube but spread on Reddit and Chinese social media. Dairy group Mengniu and drinks company Dongpeng ended their associations with Mbappé with immediate effect. “Mengniu firmly opposes and has zero tolerance for any words or actions that offend the feelings of the Chinese people,” the dairy company said.
According to Chinese media, CCTV has also suspended coverage of LaLiga and will not show any matches featuring Mbappé, including the Champions League.
The broadcaster bought the free-to-air and pay-TV rights for this season in August. Streaming platform Migu also has the rights to a four-season deal. Satirizing former Communist Party leaders can be punished under Chinese law as “defamation of heroes and martyrs.”
The Chinese Football Association said it had “immediately embarked on tough diplomatic initiatives with Real Madrid” and demanded a public apology from the club.
Mbappé apologized in French, Mandarin and English.
“My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and Chinese communities around the world,” he said. “I apologize to everyone whom my words have offended. This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am truly sorry.”
Dictator memes date back to 2024. For LaLiga, which has had an office in Shanghai since 2014, losing the visibility of its biggest star in China is a serious blow. Last month, Chinese state media criticized Real Madrid’s words in messages about floods in Tibet and Nepal, and in April Barcelona apologized after a Taiwanese flag appeared on a site linked to their academy.
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