Damage control for La Liga and Mbappe after China threats

News

Martin Macdonald | Writer

Kylian Mbappe and La Liga have been forced to apologise to the people of China after the superstar made reference to a meme which portrays him as Chairman Mao.

The viral Mbappe memes use imagery of Chairman Mao and other authoritarian leaders to mock the Real Madrid forward's perceived influence within football. Often labelled 'Dictator Mbappe,' the trend imagines him as a ruler with near-total control over his club, from managerial decisions to the treatment of fellow players, exaggerating his authority for comedic effect.

He was recently asked to comment on the memes, and he said on French show The Bridge:

"The one I have laughed the most with is the one in which they use my face as a Chinese dictator. I use it a lot with my friends."

The memes and Mbappe's reaction did not go down well in China as Mao is heralded by the Communist Party in the country. Lucrative sponsors have threatened to withdraw partnerships with Mbappe and Spanish football, while the nation's national broadcaster CCTV vowed to stop showing Spanish football indefinitely and to ban any mention of Mbappe.

The World Cup winner has now apologised for referencing the memes.

He posted on social media:

"During a recent interview, I reacted to an image of myself.

"My comment was ill-judged, and I now understand that it hurt many people in China and in Chinese communities around the world.

"I apologise to everyone my words have upset. This was absolutely not my intention. I have deep respect for the Chinese people and their history, and I am sincerely sorry.

"Kylian Mbappé."

La Liga, desperate not to lose the money from broadcasting rights and other Chinese sponsorships, have also leapt into damage control mode as they also released a statement which read:

"LALIGA deeply regrets the offence caused by Kylian Mbappé's recent comments among Chinese fans. These comments were made in a personal capacity and do not represent LALIGA. To the extent of our institutional responsibility, we apologise on behalf of LALIGA and all its clubs.

"Spanish football upholds respect, coexistence, and unity among people of all cultures. We convey our respect to China, its institutions, and its people, and we deeply value the support of the millions of fans who follow us each week. We reaffirm our commitment to a relationship built over years.

"We are working with our partners and institutional interlocutors in China to address this situation. Likewise, in collaboration with the clubs and players, we will implement a protocol for awareness and communication that promotes respect for different cultures and helps prevent similar situations."

Mao Zedong was the communist leader who founded the People's Republic of China in 1949 and ruled until his death in 1976. Though a controversial figure, he remains a politically sensitive individual in the nation.

Javier Tebas, the President of La Liga, posted on socials:

"LaLiga deeply regrets the dissatisfaction and offense caused in China by the remarks made by Kylian Mbappé. We understand the harm caused by these remarks. On behalf of LaLiga, I extend our sincere apologies to the Chinese people.

"Over the years, we have built a relationship of mutual respect, trust, and cooperation with China and its government departments, sports organizations, audiovisual media institutions, and millions of fans who love Spanish football.

"We cannot allow individual actions to damage this relationship, nor can we let more than 20 clubs in our professional competitions and millions of Chinese fans be adversely affected as a result.

"We are taking every possible measure and directly engaging with our partners and relevant parties in China to resolve the current situation.

"Our commitment to China, the Chinese people, and relevant Chinese institutions remains unwavering.

"This relationship, built over many years, cannot be undermined by an isolated incident."