Mbappé crisis escalates: a painful blow for Real Madrid, and the Chinese foreign ministry hits back strongly
What's the story?
Kylian Mbappé's crisis in China has deepened. The French star, now at Real Madrid, has seen state broadcaster CCTV suspend its coverage of any La Liga match he features in, as well as pull the adverts he appears in, all over a controversy triggered by remarks attributed to him about the former Chinese leader Mao Zedong.
Spanish news agency "EFE" reported, citing local newspaper "The Paper" and sources inside the channel, that the decision took effect on the night of Monday into Tuesday. No official announcement has followed so far, marking a fresh escalation in a crisis that has already pushed Chinese companies to tear up their advertising contracts with the Real Madrid striker.
Three Chinese firms have cut ties with Mbappé after using his name and image in their campaigns: beverage company "Dongpeng", dairy producer "Mengniu" and cheese manufacturer "Milkground".
Each justified the move by pointing to a "zero tolerance" policy towards statements or actions they regard as offensive to Chinese national sentiment. The row, meanwhile, has spread right across the country's social media.
What is the story of Mbappé's crisis with Mao Zedong?
It all began with a video clip. In it, Mbappé talks about the satirical images people create from his features, saying the one he finds funniest places his face on the body of a man he believes to be a "Chinese dictator".
Agence France-Presse's digital fact-checking service could not initially confirm whether the video was genuine. Even so, the circulating interpretation tied the player's comments to a satirical image showing his face superimposed on a picture of Mao Zedong.
The incident drew widespread criticism in China, with Mbappé accused of offending national sentiment. What started as a social media controversy soon grew into a full-blown crisis, hitting both his sponsorship deals and his presence on sports broadcasts.
Beijing steps into the crisis
Social media and sponsors were only the start. The Chinese Foreign Ministry then weighed in, calling it natural for Chinese people to reject statements they see as offensive.
CCTV has issued no official word on the suspension of its match broadcasts. Yet the reports paint a clear picture: Mbappé faces mounting fallout in the Chinese market, with three advertising contracts gone and fans now at risk of losing the chance to watch the La Liga games the Real Madrid star plays in.
