Dongpeng, Mengniu Drop Mbappé Over Mao Zedong Comment

At least three Chinese companies are ending their commercial partnerships with Kylian Mbappé, a move that removes the French soccer star from prominent advertising spaces across the country. The decisions by beverage maker Dongpeng, dairy giant Mengniu, and cheese producer Milkground follow a viral video clip in which the national team captain made remarks referring to Mao Zedong, the founding leader of Communist China, as a dictator.

The companies issued statements on Tuesday using nearly identical language to explain their decisions. Each group said it opposed any words or actions that hurt national sentiment, though they did not specify the exact trigger for the breaks. The announcements came shortly after a clip circulated on the social media platform X. The footage appears to show Mbappé being interviewed before appearing on the French online talk show The Bridge.

In the video, Mbappé is asked about his favorite meme featuring his own image. He responds that it is a video of a man he believes was a Chinese dictator. The clip then cuts to an altered image that places Mbappé’s face on the blue-suited body of Mao Zedong. Soccer fans often use the term dictator jokingly to describe the star, noting his dominant presence on the field compared to his teammates. Memes depicting him as Mao or other autocratic leaders are common in online fan communities.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs commented on the situation on Tuesday. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated that words and actions that hurt the feelings of the Chinese people will naturally meet with joint opposition from all sectors of Chinese society. The social media platform RedNote also weighed in, noting that its content partnership with Mbappé had ended on December 31, 2024. The company said it would remove related promotional materials and expressed opposition to conduct that hurts national sentiment.

Mbappé’s account on RedNote stopped accepting new followers on Tuesday. The French forward has featured in numerous advertising campaigns in China for products ranging from electrolyte drinks to milk and cheese. In one commercial for Dongpeng, he delivers a slogan in Chinese, while an ad for Mengniu shows him alongside Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi.

The reaction on Chinese social media has been swift. Hashtags including Dongpeng ends partnership with Mbappé and Several brands end partnerships with Mbappé topped the trending list on Weibo. Another tag, Football fans boycott Mbappé, also trended, with users expressing anger at the remarks or telling the player not to come to China. The Associated Press was unable to reach Mbappé’s representatives for comment immediately following the announcements.

Mbappé’s face has long been visible in ads across China, appearing in subway stations and elevators. The recent branding pullback represents a tangible shift in how major domestic companies are managing their association with the soccer star. The companies’ coordinated timing suggests a unified approach to addressing the controversy, even as the specific details of the interview remain the subject of online discussion.