Mbappe apologizes as China removes his posters nationwide. The French forward’s own post‑match meme, where his face was photoshopped onto a cartoon Mao, sparked a storm that turned into a full‑blown boycott.
Dongpeng, Mengniu, Milkground and CMG all pulled their sponsorship deals with Mbappe in a single day, and the national broadcaster CCTV halted La Liga broadcasts. The league’s statement said the comments were made in a personal capacity and did not represent the league.
The turning point was the video that surfaced on October 26, showing Mbappe laughing at the meme. He later described the remark as “ill‑judged” and apologized to Chinese fans in a short X post.
Fans flooded social media with mixed reactions—some defended the star’s right to humor, others called for a boycott. La Liga’s apology highlighted respect for cultural differences, but the damage to Mbappe’s brand in the world’s second‑largest football market is already visible.
The fallout means Mbappe’s next major fixture, the 2026 Euro qualifiers, could be played without the usual Chinese sponsorship glow. For La Liga, the blackout could cost millions in advertising revenue.
Next up: Mbappe’s match against Argentina on November 5 in the Champions League, where he’ll have to prove he’s still at the top.