The president of the French Federation steps into the Mbappé and China crisis: the controversy is bigger than it should be

Will France be affected by the crisis like La Liga?

Philippe Diallo has stepped into the row engulfing Kylian Mbappé. The French Football Federation president believes the storm over the France captain's comments about Mao Zedong and China has spiralled out of control, and that an apology from the Real Madrid star should draw a line under the affair.

Federation chiefs are watching the crisis closely. It touches more than just the national team captain. The fallout threatens to damage commercial partnerships between the Federation and Chinese parties, including existing contracts between the two sides.

Speaking to the newspaper "Ouest-France", in comments relayed by the network "Foot Mercato", Diallo rallied to Mbappé's defence. He insisted the forward never meant to offend any Chinese official or the Chinese people, had explained the circumstances of his remarks and had already apologised.

The French Federation president said: "I saw that there was a controversy around Kylian, and perhaps it was bigger than it should have been, because I do not think he wanted in any way to harm the image of one of the Chinese leaders, or to insult the Chinese people."

"It is a controversy that should not continue, and I hope it will not continue, because Kylian explained very well the context in which those statements came," he added. "He apologised, and I believe that this should be enough now, so that he can continue his season in the best conditions."

Diallo is banking on Mbappé's clarification and apology to contain the fallout and end a controversy that has outgrown the player himself, spilling into fears over the French Federation's relationships and commercial partnerships in China.